The City of Amarillo, Texas announced that two wastewater spills occurred on Thursday, June 1 and Friday, June 2, spilling an estimated 135,000 gallons due to heavy rainfall.
The city said that it has since contained both spills: one from the Hollywood Road wastewater treatment facility and one from a manhole at Osage Street.
Hollywood Road wastewater treatment facility
Amarillo stated that the spill at the Hollywood Road facility occurred at about 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 1, after the facility had been iniundated with high rainfall and localized flooding.
The rainfall caused the plant to overflow into two locations: an unknown quantity discharged onto a playa lake on the facility’s grounds, and about 85,000 gallons of partially treated wastewater into Lake Tanglewood.
Osage Street
The overflow from a sanitary sewer manhole on Osage Street began Friday, June 2 at 6:30 p.m. after heavy rainfall. The event spilled about 50,000 gallons of untreated wastewater.
The spill was contained by 11:15 p.m. on the same day, with Amarillo reporting that cleanup procedures were complete.
Amarillo stated that the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality had been notified of both spills and “is working with the city to minimize environmental impacts.”
About the Author
Jeremy Wolfe
Jeremy Wolfe is a former Editor for Wastewater Digest.