City of Coos Bay release – The City has contracted with Pacific Excavation, Inc. to upgrade the pump station located at 400 Kruse Street near the Department of Motor Vehicles. The pump station upgrades include new pumps, generator, electrical and a pump house. Since the sewer pump station must remain operable 24 hours a day and seven days a week (even when it is under construction), the contractor must install a temporary bypass system that pumps the flows around the pump station for the duration of the upgrade. Yesterday around 3:30 p.m., the contractor’s bypass pumping failed. The contractor quickly contained the spill. In total 4,500 gallons spilled into a containment pit and 500 gallons spilled on the ground adjacent to the pump station. The contractor removed the sewer from the containment pit and applied lime on the ground to disinfect the area around the pump station. No sanitary sewer reached the storm drain system or the bay. Because the sewer was released at a location that was not permitted, the Department of Environmental Quality requires this event to be classified as a Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) and the Oregon Emergency Response System be notified. Any questions can be directed to the City of Coos Bay Public Works Department by calling (541) 269-8918.
