City of Pearland issued the following announcement.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulations (30 TAC 319) require that municipalities report wastewater collection system overflows to the local media and local officials when overflows exceed 50,000 gallons and the spill occurs within one-half (½) mile of a public or private source of drinking water. On Monday, October 26, 2020 at 7 a.m. the City of Pearland discovered a domestic wastewater spill from the Cullen Lift Station located at 2704 Cullen Pkwy, Pearland, TX 77584, which discharges to the John Hargrove Environmental Center (JHEC) facility (Permit # WQ0116581). The City of Pearland Cullen Groundwater Well G020008H at 2529 Cullen is located across Cullen Pkwy a quarter (¼) mile northeast of the Cullen lift station.
The Cullen lift station is currently on a bypass pump as part of a lift station reconstruction project. The contractor responsible for the project alerted the City that the discharge line connecting the pump to the force main sewer line had been disconnected. The bypass system continued to run for 4 hours between the time it was first noticed until the system was under control and properly functioning. It is estimated that 61,200 gallons (20% of daily discharge) overflowed during that time. The overflow ran into the drainage ditch behind the lift station site and in the ditch that leads to the front of the property at Cullen. It filled the drainage ditch and storm inlets that connects to the storm drain system behind the Post Office.
A plug was placed in the storm inlet which prevented the overflow from reaching the Post Office detention pond or Hickory Slough. Clean up measures at Cullen lift station grounds, drainage ditches, and storm inlets have been completed to remove wastewater and any potential contamination has been neutralized. In addition, the contractor secured the bypass pump and is responsible for daily monitoring to prevent a recurrence. Though the wastewater overflow did not reach the groundwater well and it is not suspected there is any impact to the Public Water Supply, Public Works staff have taken micro-bacteriological samples for verification and results will be available on Saturday, October 31, 2020. TCEQ was notified of this overflow on Monday, October 26, 2020.
Per TCEQ regulations, the City of Pearland recommends:
(1) Persons using private drinking water supply wells located within ½-mile of the spill site or within the potentially affected area should use only water that has been distilled or boiled at a rolling boil for at least one minute for all personal uses including drinking, cooking, bathing, and tooth brushing. Individuals with private water wells should have their well water tested and disinfected, if necessary, prior to discontinuing distillation or boiling.
(2) Persons who purchase water from a public water supply may contact their water supply distributor to determine if the water is safe for personal use.
(3) The public should avoid contact with waste material, soil, or water in the area potentially affected by the spill.
(4) If the public comes into contact with waste material, soil, or water potentially affected by the spill, they should bathe and wash clothes thoroughly as soon as possible.
For questions or concerns contact Public Works at 281.652.1900.
All notifications required by 30TAC 319 have been completed.
Original source can be found here.
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