Albert Lea, Minnesota, experienced heavy rainfall on the weekend of June 22, 2024, that led to a wastewater spill.
Albert Lea has contained the spill of wastewater that was from a break in the sewer main along South Shore Drive that carries wastewater from Albert Lea to its treatment plant.
The Public Works Department is considering long-term repairs for the line.
The city advises that people should be aware that South Shore Drive will remain closed until further notice between Rooster Hill Road and County Road 81.
The city also advised residents to avoid swimming and other contact with water in Albert Lea Lake until high water levels recede, and insisted that residents stay out of barricaded areas.
City staff were made aware of the break from a local farmer, and staff have been working to build a dam around the area.
The wastewater spill coincides with rainfall that occurred in the area over the weekend. The city is still dealing with flooding issues.
Freeborn County commissioners, where Albert Lea is located in, unanimously passed a resolution, declaring a local state of emergency due to the flooding impacts from severe weather.
According to a news article, Freeborn County Emergency Management Director Rich Hall estimates that the county’s latest assessment of infrastructure damage ranges from $1.3 million to $1.5 million in damages.
