What’s next at White Rock Lake after 1.5 million gallons of sewage spilled from Plano?
Texas state officials are investigating a sewage spill that dumped 1.5 million gallons of wastewater from Plano into White Rock Creek. Environmental officials are monitoring Dallas' White Rock Lake after a 1.5 million gallon of raw sewage spilled from Plano. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is investigating the spill, which began March 14 when a valve at a water lift station in Plano failed. The sewage rushed into White Rock Creek, which feeds into the lake. Despite the 38-hour long spill, no additional monitoring or cleanup is required, according to Plano spokesperson Steve Stoler. The North Texas Municipal Water District has resumed operations with temporary pumping in place, but final repairs could take up to two weeks. This is not the first time untreated sewage has flowed from the Plano into the creek.
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Published : a month ago by Sarah Bahari in Environment
Environmental officials are monitoring Dallas’ White Rock Lake days after 1.5 million gallons of raw sewage spilled into nearby water from Plano.
Dallas city officials will assess the water from White Rock spillway to Frankford Road through Friday, said city spokesperson Brenda Saldana, who did not answer questions regarding results of tests performed so far.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which responsible for overseeing such incidents, said Tuesday it is investigating the spill. It is not yet clear whether any fines will be levied.
The spill began about 2:40 p.m. March 14 when the valve at a water lift station in Plano failed, flooding the station and shuttering mechanical equipment. Sewage then overflowed from three manholes near 5510 West Plano Parkway.
That sewage rushed into White Rock Creek, which feeds into White Rock Lake. Plano officials estimate roughly 500 gallons of sewage flowing into the creek per minute. Shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday, about 38 hours later, the spill ended.
Plano spokesperson Steve Stoler said city tests performed Monday showed creek water returned to normal. Officials in Plano nor Dallas have seen evidence of damage to aquatic life.
“From our end, no additional monitoring or cleanup is needed,” Stoler said.
The water lift station, operated by the North Texas Municipal Water District, has resumed operations with some temporary pumping in place. Final repairs to the lift station — which moves wastewater to a higher elevation on its way to a treatment plant — could take up to two weeks, district spokesperson Alex Johnson said.
It is not clear how much sewage made its way from Plano to Dallas. Plano added dechlorination tablets and flushed the creek with water to dilute the wastewater, said Victoria Cann, a spokesperson for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Still, the spill prompted at least one group to revise its plans. The Corinthian Sailing Club moved its annual sailboat regatta from White Rock Lake to Lake Ray Hubbard over the weekend after it was notified of the spill.
“I would not want to fall in that water,” the club’s commodore Ralph Jones told The Dallas Morning News on Monday.
This is not the first time untreated sewage has flowed from Plano into White Rock Creek.
In June 2018, a ruptured wastewater pipe in Plano spilled 1 million gallons of raw sewage into White Rock Creek, forcing Dallas to suspend all recreational activities at White Rock Lake.