By D.E. Smoot
Phoenix Staff Writer
May 19, 2008 10:15 pm
—
The city of Muskogee faces the prospect of a $200,000 fine as a result of a “major spill” of raw sewage into a tributary of Coody Creek.
Under the terms of a consent order proposed by Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality officials, the spill and alleged reporting violations could cost the city up to $350,000 and possibly more.
State water quality officials say the spill initially was reported March 21, 2007, by a concerned citizen. City officials reported the sanitary sewer overflow that same day, but ODEQ documents allege the city’s reports were inaccurate.
The proposed agreement details possible costs.
The order also spells out deadlines for the completion of three assigned “tasks” designed to address the Coody Creek spill and to prevent future sanitary sewer overflows or bypasses. Failure to meet those deadlines, the order states, could result with additional fines of up to $10,000 for each day of noncompliance.
An Aug. 30 memorandum drafted by City Engineer Steve Almon indicates the spill occurred along the Coody Creek Outfall Line southwest of the interchange at Peak Boulevard and the Muskogee Turnpike.
The document includes an allegation by ODEQ officials who believe raw sewage had been leaking from the 48-inch sewer line for more than a year before it was reported. The illegal discharge was described by as a major spill.
The Aug. 30 memo indicates two errors were made on the bypass report submitted by the city to ODEQ: The size of the spill was underestimated, and the “end date” was misreported.
Almon was out of the office Monday and unable to respond to additional questions. City Manager Greg Buckley failed to return a telephone call from the Phoenix. The Finance Committee is expected to take up the matter when it convenes at 4 p.m. today during a regular meeting at the Municipal Building.
The proposed consent order alleges an inspection of the spill site five days after city officials said the leaks were fixed revealed “a very large volume of untreated wastewater was still flowing from several holes” in the sewer line.
“There were large quantities of wastewater solids on the ground around the sewer line indicating that the sewer line had been leaking for a considerable period of time,” the consent order states, noting other factors that indicated ongoing problems. “The water in the unnamed tributary was black in color and smelled of sewage all the way to Coody Creek, a distance of approximately 0.4 miles. Sewage solids were also observed along the bank of the unnamed tributary.”
Coody Creek empties into the Arkansas River about three miles northwest of the location where the spill was reported. Contracts have been let for Coody Creek Outfall Line improvements, and more improvements are expected to be included in an upcoming capital improvements program that would have to approved by voters.
Reach D.E. Smoot at 684-2903 or dsmoot@muskogeephoenix.com.
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