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EPA Orders Nixa to Clean Up Sewage Spill, Notify Residents, Develop Plant Safeguards

Release Date: 12/02/2005
Contact Information:

Environmental News
Martin Kessler
(913) 551-7236
kessler.martin@epa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 2, 2005

EPA ORDERS NIXA TO CLEAN UP SEWAGE SPILL, NOTIFY RESIDENTS, DEVELOP PLANT SAFEGUARDS

EPA has issued an administrative compliance order to the City of Nixa, Mo., to address continued removal and other follow-up actions related to the discharge of wastewater sludge from the City’s wastewater treatment plant earlier this week.

On November 28 and 29, about 400,000 gallons of wastewater sludge overflowed from one of the plant’s basins. The City began clean-up activities after it discovered the release November 29. The release impacted about two-thirds of a mile of an unnamed tributary of Finley Creek.

EPA has been in communication with the City, the Missouri of Department of Natural Resources, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and the Christian County Health Department regarding clean-up activities and possible human health impacts.

The EPA order issued today requires the City to continue its clean-up efforts, protect public health and the environment, and take measures to ensure that this type of release does not happen again.

EPA is pleased the City initiated such a quick response to the release, and plans to coordinate closely with the City and county and state agencies to ensure that the sludge release has been adequately remediated.