IA DNR: Spring Rains Bring Wet Weather Discharges

DES MOINES – Iowa has many aging sanitary sewers which are literally leaky systems, allowing rain water to enter wastewater pipes, and then flow to wastewater treatment plants.

Recent heavy rainfall has caused many Iowa wastewater plants to be overwhelmed as the runoff from the storms enters the plant’s underground pipes. The runoff moves down the many pipes to the plants, coming in faster than the plants can treat or process the wastewater.

When more rain water runoff is coming in than the plant can handle, often the plant will discharge untreated or partly treated wastewater into a nearby river. This discharge prevents it from backing up into local homes and buildings.

The following cities had reported wet weather discharges to the DNR by 4:00 p.m. on Friday:

New Hartford in Butler County,
Stuart in Guthrie County,
North English in Iowa County,
Fairfield in Jefferson County, and
Washington in Washington County.

New Hartford and Stuart are working to upgrade their wastewater treatment systems to prevent bypasses in the future. New Hartford has received a grant for a new lift station and force main, and will begin construction this year. Stuart plans to build a new treatment plant with a retention basin to hold storm water.

Washington has signed a consent order with the DNR to upgrade their system. The DNR is requiring Fairfield to investigate their collection system and find solutions that will prevent future discharges.

Many other towns are likely bypassing, but wet weather bypasses do not need to be reported except when monthly reports are submitted to the DNR.