The El Paso Times reports that about 6.5 mgd of wastewater was flowing into the Rio Grande after an unprecedented breaking of both the primary and backup wastewater lines for West El Paso.

Repairs on the corroded lines began in March 2020 and had been slated for November 2021 completion with crews working 16-hour days.

In order to mitigate the environmental impact in the meantime, officials announced they started diverting wastewater through irrigation canals where it flows 20 miles to a wastewater treatment facility. They also say wastewater spill levels have decreased since repairs were completed at one of the force mains.

Pump Failure Causes Plant Shutdown, Flooding

Pump failure at the South Wastewater Treatment Plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, recently resulted in a plant shutdown and localized flooding.

Baton Rouge publication brproud.com reports that residents in the area were cleaning up sewage with hoses and using household cleaners to drown out the smell while they waited for a response from the city.

“If you have a nose, you’re going to smell it, I went to the store and came back to find the parking lot was full of water, my apartment was full of water,” a resident told the publication.

Oak Creek Wins Best-Tasting Water in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Section of the American Water Works Association recently named the City of Oak Creek as having the best-tasting tap water in the state.

In June of next year, Oak Creek will compete for the title of best-tasting water in the nation.

“Great water comes from great employees, and we certainly have that at Oak Creek,” Mike Robe, plant manager for the Oak Creek Water Utility, tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.