News release City of Coos Bay. This morning, June 8, 2017, the City of Coos Bay experienced a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO). The overflow was caused by a fats, oil, and grease (FOG) accumulation at the pump station located near 2890 Ocean Boulevard. The accumulation caused the float system that controls the pumps to not function properly. The SSO totaled 300 gallons; however, it was contained within the pump station and did not enter any receiving waters. The City’s wastewater crew was immediately mobilized, fixed the float system, and cleaned the pump station. The SSO was reported to Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Oregon Emergency Response System. Fats, oil and grease also called FOG in the wastewater business can have negative impacts on wastewater collection and treatment systems. A large majority of wastewater collection system SSOs can be traced to FOG. Two types of FOG pollutants are common to wastewater systems. Petroleum-based oil and grease (non-polar concentrations) occur at businesses using oil and grease, and can usually be identified and regulated by municipalities through local limits. The other type of FOG is animal and vegetable-based oil and grease (polar concentrations) and are more difficult to identify the source due to the large number of residential homes that the collection system serves. Eliminating the introduction of these items to the sanitary sewer system can reduce the number of blockages and ultimately reduce the potential for future sanitary sewer overflows. Any questions can be directed to the City of Coos Bay Public Works Department at (541) 269-8918.
