Nishnabotna River wastewater concern

An Atlantic Municipal Utilities “glitch” is being blamed for an estimated 400,000 gallons of partially-treated wastewater being discharged from the city’s wastewater treatment facility into the East Nishnabotna River Thursday night. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) believes the discharge may have begun around 7:30 p.m. and was not stopped until 6:45 a.m. on Friday. “It was partially treated. It was not raw sewage,” DNR spokesperson Alison Manz said. Manz said an alarm system at the treatment facility failed to notify city officials of the discharge. The alarm system may have been affected by the glitch, she said. Because the discharge was not discovered until Friday morning, DNR officials were unable to gather water samples for testing purposes. Manz said the discharge would have no affect on drinking water. Atlantic and other downstream communities, including Red Oak, all receive their supply of drinking water from sources other than the East Nishnabotna River, she said. The biggest concern downstream, Manz said, would be for persons who utilize the river for recreational purposes. “It’s a concern, but there would be more concern in the summer when people are in their canoes or using the river for recreation,” Manz said. Manz said the incident is still be investigated and steps will be taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future.