Heavy rainfall is being blamed for dozens of sanitary sewer overflows in Dallas, Fort Worth, Lewisville and Irving Wednesday and Thursday.
Officials said none of the overflows of diluted wastewater are impacting the drinking water but that the public should avoid contact with the overflows, waste material or soil and water in the affected area.
In Irving, the Trinity River Authority Central Regional Wastewater System plant at 2240 S. Walton Walker Boulevard experienced an overflow in its collection system Wednesday morning. According to the Trinity River Authority, was caused by a hydraulic overload in the system due to heavy rainfall and construction activities that allowed rainfall to enter into the wastewater pipeline.
The Irving spill exceeded 100,000 gallons and impacts Delaware Creek and the Trinity River. The TCEQ has been notified, the cause of the spill has been corrected and the spill is being contained and cleaned up.
In Little Elm, approximately 350,000 gallons of partially-treated wastewater was discharged from the Doe Branch Water Reclamation Plant. The water flowed into a tributary of Doe Branch Creek on the north side of Lewisville Lake.
The Dallas Water Utilities department said Thursday that more than two dozen sewer overflows were reported at several locations throughout the city (document below).
The overflows affect four basins, White Rock, East Bank, Five Mile and West Bank. Two of the basins topped 100,000 gallons in overflow as of Thursday morning -- East Bank and Five Mile.
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"The overflows were primarily caused by inflow and infiltration of storm water into the City of Dallas wastewater collection system," said Assistant Director Zachary Peoples.
DWU crews are monitoring and performing cleanup at each overflow location.
In Fort Worth, overflows were reported at 10 locations:
1500 S University Drive
Started: 2:23 a.m.
End time: Ongoing
Est. amount: 175 gpm
Type of spill: Domestic
Areas potentially affected: Clear Fork of the Trinity River
Suspected cause of spill: heavy rainfall
5317 Mansfield Hwy
Started: 2:32 a.m.
End time: Ongoing
Est. amount: 150 gpm
Type of spill: Domestic
Areas potentially affected: Village Creek
Suspected cause of spill: heavy rainfall
6000 Old Hemphill
Started: 8:30 a.m.
End time: Ongoing
Est. amount: 200 gpm
Type of spill: Domestic
Areas potentially affected: Sycamore Creek
Suspected cause of spill: heavy rainfall
2954 Old Mansfield Rd
Started: 10 a.m.
End time: Ongoing
Est. amount: 150 gpm
Type of spill: Domestic
Areas potentially affected: Sycamore Creek
Suspected cause of spill: heavy rainfall
2001 E Maddox Ave.
Started: 10 a.m.
End time: Ongoing
Est. amount: 300 gpm
Type of spill: Domestic
Areas potentially affected: Sycamore Creek
Suspected cause of spill: heavy rainfall
599 NE 23rd St
Started: 11:36 a.m.
End time: Ongoing
Est. amount: 300 gpm
Type of spill: Domestic
Areas potentially affected: Marine Creek
Suspected cause of spill: heavy rainfall
2200 Glen Garden
Started: 11:49 a.m.
End time: Ongoing
Est. amount: 150 gpm
Type of spill: Domestic
Areas potentially affected: Sycamore Creek
Suspected cause of spill: heavy rainfall
510 Sycamore St
Started: 12:04 a.m.
End time: Ongoing
Est. amount: 400 gpm
Type of spill: Domestic
Areas potentially affected: Sycamore Creek
Suspected cause of spill: heavy rainfall
2406 N. Main St.
Started: 1:54 a.m.
End time: Ongoing
Est. amount: 100 gpm
Type of spill: Domestic
Areas potentially affected: Marine Creek
Suspected cause of spill: heavy rainfall
1600 Cobb Park
Started: 2 p.m.
End time: Ongoing
Est. amount: 500 gpm
Type of spill: Domestic
Areas potentially affected: Sycamore Creek
Suspected cause of spill: heavy rainfall (edited)
Water authorities are required to notify The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) of any overflow that exceeds 100,000 gallons in a single drainage basin.
