Two former employees at the Bethany-Warr Acres Wastewater Treatment Plant near Oklahoma City have been charged after raw sewage was found being dumped into a nearby creek.
Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna filed criminal charges against Gleen Brentnell and Anthony Menzie on March 25, 2025.
According to reporting by News9, in November 2022, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) launched an investigation after it received reports of sewage pooling near the plant and flowing into Bluff Creek. Sewage was found around the headworks building, flowing down a ditch and into a creek.
DEQ stated that witnesses told investigators that Brentnell, the plant manager, and Menzie were responsible for the spill.
According to the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, Brentnell and Menzie were charged with obtaining property by trick/deception or false representation/pretense and two counts of violating the Oklahoma Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Act.
DEQ stated that Brentnell allegedly ignored plant failures, causing the contamination, while Menzie admitted to falsifying lab reports. Menzie was also charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and a false or forged instrument for recordation. Menzie admitted to altering reports to reflect lower fecal contamination levels. The falsified reports were forwarded to the DEQ and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). DEQ also stated that Brentnell and Menzie are no longer with the Bethany-Warr Acres Public Works Authority.
According to News9, Menzie was arrested and booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center on March 25 with a bond set at $3,000. A warrant was issued for Brentnell, but he has not been arrested.
The wastewater plant, upon learning about the DEQ’s findings, redirected wastewater to a nearby plant in Oklahoma City. The facility is now working to gain compliance with state and federal standards.
The Bethany-Warr Acres plant handles sewage from Bethany and Warr Acres and treats roughly three MGD of wastewater.
