Port Arthur: Southeast Texas city spills 2.5 million gallons of untreated sewage
Published: Tue, 07/04/23
Southeast Texas city spills 2.5 million gallons of untreated sewage
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality logo
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Kaitlin Bain, Editor
Some 2.5 million gallons of untreated sewage was spilled from the Port Arthur Main Wastewater Treatment Plant this weekend.
The spill was reported around noon Sunday at the 300 Proctor St. Extension, according to a public notice from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
The majority of the spill stayed onsite. However, up to 500,000 gallons overflowed into the Jefferson County Drainage Ditch No. 7 Canal, although no impacts to aquatic life in the area have been observed, according to the notice.
The spill is suspected to have been caused by an internal pump failure and the offsite overflow already has been treated with chlorine tablets, while the onsite material was vacuumed and returned to the treatment process. The impacted area also was then chlorinated.
Anyone using a private drinking water supply well within half a mile of the spill site should boil water for at least a minute before drinking or using for personal hygiene, the notice said.