sewage

Davenport/Bettendorf get 4-month extension on sewage treatment plant's UV disinfection plans

Iowa environmental officials have okayed a four-month extension for the Davenport Wastewater Treatment Plant to finalize plans for ultraviolet (UV) disinfection of the facility's effluent.

Under terms of a 2014 administrative consent order, the treatment facility (which handles sewage from Davenport, Bettendorf, Riverdale and Panorama Park) agreed to add the UV treatment to kill bacteria before the effluent is pumped into the Mississippi River.

20 days, 10 pumps and 448 million gallons of sewage-contaminated water flushed into Mississippi

For 20 days beginning May 27, Bettendorf continuously ran 10 pumps along its riverfront to flush 448 million gallons of sewage-contaminated water into the Mississippi River.

The latest Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) "Event" was again the result of rain and flood water clogging the main sewer interceptor line to the Davenport Waste Water Treatment Plant.

To prevent the treatment plant was being inundated with the huge flows and avoid sewage back-ups to businesses and homes along the Bettendorf/Riverdale riverfront, gates to the main sewer line were closed May 27.

Bettendorf, Riverdale, Panorama Park sewage pumped into Mississippi River for 14 days

Bettendorf, Riverdale and Panorama Park sewage was flushed into the Mississippi River between April 29 and May 9.

The City of Bettendorf pumped 179 million gallons of untreated sewage mixed with stormwater runoff into the river, according to reports filed with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Neither the city or the state estimate how much actual sewage is pumped directly into the river as a result of such "Sanitary Sewer Overflows" (SSO's).

Iowa QC sewer system upgrades on schedule and reducing sewage overflows, consultant reports

Sewage overflows in Davenport have fallen from 104 in 2016 to 18 last year thanks to wastewater system improvements in Bettendorf and Davenport mandated under a 2013 consent order with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

In Bettendorf, only two SSO's (sewage system overflows) were reported in 2017, and none have been recorded as of March 30 this year.

Dumping of sewage into Mississippi River remains common summer occurrence, but system upgrades appear to be reducing frequency, quantities

As Davenport and Bettendorf complete the third year of a court-ordered sewer system improvement program, dumping of raw sewage into the Mississippi River remains an issue during summer months after heavy rains.

However, there are signs the effort to seal leaky sewer lines and fix blockages in riverfront interceptors is reducing the volume of raw and partially treated sewage that is pumped into the river.

Heavy rains prompt additional sewage overflows; sewage treatment plant once again over capacity

Heavy rain in November and December prompted yet another series of "sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) events" in Bettendorf, resulting in more than 17 million gallons of untreated sewage and storm water being pumped into the Mississippi River.

With the additional sewage bypasses in the last two months of the year, Bettendorf operated pumps along the riverfront a total of 15 days during 2015 and dumped a total of more than 46 million gallons of the storm water and raw sewage into the river.

Latest sewage bypass lasted four days and totaled 18.4 million gallons pumped into Mississippi River

Bettendorf pumped 18.4 million gallons of untreated sewage mixed with storm water into the Mississippi River over a four-day period earlier this month after heavy rain and high water clogged the main interceptor along the riverfront and flows overwhelmed the treatment capacity of the Davenport/Bettendorf sewage treatment plant.

Pumps along the riverfront operated from June 14 through June 18, transferring back-up in the sewer lines into storm water pipes that empty into the river.

Despite interceptor work, high water and heavy rain result in Bettendorf dumping raw sewage into river

Despite $2 million in storm sewer interceptor work, high water and heavy rains are again forcing Bettendorf to dump raw sewage into the Mississippi River.

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