Catastrophic failure causes major spill at Eddyville sewer treatment plant

What has been described as a "catastrophic failure" caused a leak of some 800,000 gallons of partially treated sewage from the Eddyville sewer treatment plant on Monday.

Eddyville city officials said that about 400,000 gallons of partially treated sewage were released when the failure occurred in the sequential batch reactor tank. Another 400,000 gallons leaked before it could be shut off.

The Kentucky Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort was alerted to the failure. 

WKDZ reported that treatment plants up and downstream from the Eddyville facility along Lake Barkley were notified of the failure. The City of Kuttawa and the Crittenden/Livingston Water District are both downstream from the plant and are actively taking precautions to keep their water safe. While the City of Eddyville, the City of Princeton, Lake Barkley Water, and the Kentucky State Penitentiary are upstream, they are monitoring the situation, as well.  

The City of Eddyville said meetings are being scheduled to discuss plans for a long-term solution.

Meanwhile, the Kentucky EPA, the Kentucky Rural Water Association and Lyon County Emergency Management have been brought in to assist. 


Source WKDZ