The city of Rutland, Vt., has discharged 745,000 gal of wastewater into nearby Otter Creek and East Creek. Despite the concern of many citizens, the city’s system is performing as it should, according to city Department of Public Works Commissioner Jeff Wennberg.
“Public and private property and public health were protected,” said Wennberg. “It worked exactly as it was designed to work.”
Otter Creek and East Creek are not utilized for the city’s drinking supply, but Wennberg cautions residents against swimming in the waters in order to avoid detrimental health effects.
The discharge occurred as a result of heavy storms in the area this past Saturday June 23, 2018. It was executed in order to prevent the water from backing up into homes and streets, and a majority of the discharged wastewater is storm water rather than sewage.
The city’s wastewater system ordinarily treats approximately 3.5 million gal of wastewater each day, but the system had to process roughly 22.5 million gal following the storm, the peak of the plant’s capacity. Discharges such as the one expelled into Otter and East Creeks occur when the wastewater load exceeds this capacity.
