50,000 gallons of untreated sewage pours into eastern Iowa river
An estimate of up to 50,000 gallons of untreated sewage made its way into the Wapsipinicon River in Anamosa on Wednesday, KCRG reports.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says they’re now investigating in the city. They say the city of Anamosa contacted the DNR field office in Manchester as soon as they realized there was an issue.
The DNR says the city came across equipment that failed in their wastewater plant lift station around 8:15 a.m. City officials worked quickly to fix the problem, and they’re already working to clean it up.
But the DNR says the thousands of gallons flowed into a storm drain that leads to the river.
The DNR warns people to stay out of the river at this time downstream from the station. So far, they say they haven’t seen any dead fish. They will also further assess the situation and will follow up with the city.
If you come across a spill, you can contact the DNR by their emergency spill line at (515) 725-8694. The DNR says quick reporting can help solve an issue. You can also go to the DNR’s website to learn more about spill reporting requirements.
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