Wash hands, clothing, stay away from creeks
PUEBLO, COLO. -- City of Pueblo Wastewater officials Friday say the malfunction of a valve at the treatment plant Thursday evening caused a release of un-disinfected effluent of more than 300,000 gallons.
The accident happened around 5 p.m. Thursday at the James DiIorio Wastewater Reclamation Facility, with the release of about 323,750 gallons of un-disinfected wastewater. The release occurred about 8/10 of a mile downstream of the confluence of Fountain Creek and the Arkansas River.
The release of wastewater happened when an automatic valve that switches chlorine feed from one bank of containers to another was activated
The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), a sensor system that monitors the process by computer, did sound an alarm. A wastewater operator on duty responded to the alarm and manually bypassed the automatic valve to restore the feed.
Because the flow rate at that time of evening was about 7,700 gallons a minute, it’s estimated that the maximum spill was about 323,750 gallons.
The Colorado and Pueblo City-County Health Departments have both been notified of the spill and suggest some precautions to the public:
* Do not allow children or pets to play in the creek, nor allow children to play with toys that have been in contact with the water
* Individuals who have come into contact with the water should wash their hands frequently with soap and clean, warm water. If clothing or shoes get wet, they should be removed and washed in warm water.
* If a person is exposed to the water and has open wounds, they should contact a physician or local health department for guidance regarding receiving tetanus and/or other immunizations
Bacteriological samples have been taken from the river and effluent and are being analyzed. It is expected that results will not be available until the first part of next week.
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