sewer system overflows

Flooding and heavy rains early this month once again forced Bettendorf to pump raw sewage into the Mississippi River.

That's because the Davenport Sewage Treatment Plant wasn't able to handle inflows to the facility and closed gates to the main interceptor along the Mississippi riverfront, requiring Bettendorf to pump sewage from its riverfront lines into storm water pipes that flow into the river.

If the city did not use the pumps, sewage could back up into riverfront businesses and homes.