Flint, Michigan, reported three separate discharges of a sewage rainwater mix into the Flint River after a three-day downpour.
This downpour dumped 3.2 inches of rain on the area, reported Booth Newspapers.
The first incident started at 6:45 a.m. Sept. 23 when the city’s Water Pollution Control Facility discharged a mix of storm water and sewage from its retention and treatment basin to the river, reported Booth Newspapers. A second spill began at 7 a.m. Sept. 23 from a sanitary sewer manhole located south of Fenton Road and Barlow Avenue. At 8:20 a.m. Sept. 23 another sanitary sewer manhole overflowed into the river near River Rest Cemetery on Flushing Road in Flint Township.
An undetermined amount of raw sewage mixed with rainwater was found flowing into a storm catch basin that flows to the Swartz Creek, which flows into the Flint River, and the discharge was continuing, according to a city news release.
Flint Water Service Center employees responded to the spill and are working to resolve the situation.
The discharge was due to a failure of the connection of the North West Pump Station diversion pipe, according to an announcement by the city, reported Booth Newspapers.
The city of Flint Water Pollution Control Facility is in the process of correcting the situation with the engineers and contractors.
“The discharge is disinfected and continuously monitored for the duration of the event to ensure adequate treatment,” according to a notice, reported by Booth Newspapers. “As a precautionary measure required by law, the...Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the Genesee County Health Department have been notified, as well as officials of Flint Township and Flushing.”
The city has yet to estimate the volume of the discharge.
Flint’s report to the state states that the discharge was caused by wet weather that exceeded its treatment plant’s designed capacities, reported Booth Newspapers.
The discharge was disinfected and monitored.