Waco (FOX 44/KWKT) — The City of Waco has increased its monitoring of the water supply after an unauthorized discharge or spill of wastewater Saturday morning. One of the pumps malfunctioned, according to a press release.
The city says 144,000 gallons of wastewater escaped from the Cloice Creek Lift Station in the 1600 block of Hannah Hill Road around 8:45 a.m. The potentially affected area is from Hannah Hill Road to Highway 84, roughly 700 feet according to the city.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has been notified, as well as other appopriate local government officials.
Work crews rest the pumps and the overflow stopped around 11:45 a.m. They completed the cleanup and disinfection of the spill area Saturday night at 6 p.m.
While the city says the water supply and water quality has not been affected, anyone downstream of the Cloice Creek Lift Station is advised to take precautions and monitor their system.
Those precautions include:
- 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.
- 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.
- The public should avoid contact with waste material, soil, or water in the area potentially affected by the spill.
- 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.
This is a developing situation and FOX 44 News will bring you updates as they come in.
