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Last updated on Tuesday, March 8, 2016
(BLOOMINGTON) - An accidental release of sludge occurred at the Dillman Road Wastewater Treatment plant on Friday night.
A mechanical malfunction with one the plant's two rotary screens is being blamed for causing an estimated 500 gallons of sludge to exit the building. From there, the flow moved across a paved lot to a drainage ditch, which diluted and carried the sludge to Clear Creek approximately 175 yards away from the plant.
Plant crews successfully contained and cleaned up the sludge spill within two hours after it was first discovered.
Dillman Road Plant Superintendent Garrett Towell said IDEM was contacted and no further action from the regulatory agency is expected.
Towell conducted visual inspections Friday night and Saturday morning and noted minimal deposits along the edge of the stream at the point where the drainage ditch enters Clear Creek.
He also observed the minnows at that location in the creek appeared to be unaffected by the event.
Towell says an internal investigation is underway as to why the rotary screen failed to perform as designed. He indicated the last time something similar happened at the Dillman Road Wastewater Treatment Plant was more than ten years ago.
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