A major infrastructure failure recently resulted in a massive discharge of wastewater into the Potomac River northwest of Washington, D.C. A 72-inch sewer pipe collapsed, spilling wastewater from the ground and causing an estimated overflow of 40 mgd.
Meanwhile, the Potomac Riverkeeper Network released the results of its testing of contaminated water from the sewage spill along the Potomac and the environmental group's data shows contamination which is nearly 12,000 times what authorities limit for human contact. The PRN also estimates that almost 300 million gallons have entered the Potomac River.
Topeka Wastewater Building Closes Over Health Concerns
The City of Topeka, Kansas, temporarily closed a building at the Oakland Wastewater Treatment Plant following reports of respiratory symptoms among employees. Acting on a pattern identified by the city-sponsored health clinic, officials ordered the closure as a precaution, though medical staff do not believe the illness is contagious.
An environmental engineering firm has been hired to perform air quality testing throughout the facility, and the Shawnee County Health Department has been notified of the potential issue. Approximately 30 employees who work in the affected building were relocated to other sites while the investigation takes place.
Sites Reservoir Wins Reclamation Approval
President Donald Trump's administration has officially greenlit plans to construct the Sites Reservoir, a massive new off-stream lake situated north of Sacramento, California. The U.S. Interior Department issued a "record of decision" finalizing the project's environmental review, clearing a key regulatory hurdle. If completed, the 13-mile-long facility would stand as the largest new reservoir built in California since New Melones Lake opened in 1979.
The project is designed to provide water to approximately 24 million people in Santa Clara County, the East Bay, and Los Angeles, in addition to irrigating 500,000 acres of Central Valley farmland.
