Chariton Discharges Wastewater from Storage Basin to River
Posted: April 8, 2008

CHARITON — Untreated wastewater is overflowing from a storage basin in Chariton into the Chariton River on Tuesday.

Following a half-inch rainfall, the equalization basin at the city’s 16th Street lift station began overflowing around 11:00 a.m. Tuesday. The discharge is ongoing.

The DNR has required the city to provide plans in an engineering report for doing a sanitary sewer evaluation study. The survey should follow an acceptable schedule for repairing the sewer system so that it is able to handle additional flow and can eliminate bypasses.

The DNR is also requiring the city to take water samples of the bypass and may consider possible enforcement action.

The Rathbun drinking water supply downstream has been notified of the discharge.

MEDIA CONTACT: Charles Furrey, DNR Des Moines field office, at (515) 725-0268 or Charles.Furrey@dnr.iowa.gov.