6M Gallon Sewage Spill - Power Failure or Poor Maintenance?

Albuquerque plant with 6M gallon sewage spill had prior issues

When power failed at the wastewater treatment plant in south Albuquerque in February, the backup generator was supposed to engage. It didn't. Because there wasno power to a critical pump for more than six hours, tanks overflowed and 6 million gallons of partially-treated sewage flowed into storm drains and out into the Rio Grande.

In a letter last week, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority told the New Mexico Environment Department about one possible factor in the spill: A switchgear that failed on the backup system hadn't been serviced since 2013. It's supposed to undergo preventive maintenance every year.

The maintenance gap isamong the problems at the wastewater plant revealed in public records obtained by KRQE News 13.

On Wednesday, hours before the the Water Utilityprovidedthe requested records to News 13, itsent out a press release announcing it had begun improvements to the drainage and electrical systems at the plant. It also announced that the EPA hadn't assessed any fines about the spill, but had issued two administrative orders requiring changes to equipment and protocol at the plant.

Records released to News 13Thursday morningshow one of the EPA's administrative orders wasn't about the spill. Instead, it was the result of three other violations of the Clean Water Act that had occurred at the plant since July 2014. In those violations, the plant had recorded too much E. Coli bacteria in the outflow water, alleged violations of "exceedances of effluent limitations," according to the EPA.

"From time to time, the plant will have violations of its permit with the EPA, but it's been doing a lot better in recent years," spokesperson David Morris told KRQE News 13. "Last year, we had only three violations, which is considered a very good track record in the industry."

The three violations triggered a big list of EPA-mandated changes at the plant, targeted toward long-term improvements. A separate letter sent from the EPA in response to the 6 million gallon spill included a list of changes that must be made before the end of the year.

"A lot of the (mandates)were things that were on our list and approved by our board in terms of funding already," Morris said.

The Water Utility told the NMED they still don't know what caused the power surge that caused the main power to fail. They also reported thatPNM didn't have any unusual power events that morning. The Water Utility is currently undergoing a third-party audit of their electrical systems.

The WUA put two employees on paid leave while they investigate what happened: maintenance superintendent Jeffery Romero and maintenance supervisor Leonard Griego.

The spill happened just upstream of the Pueblo of Isleta.

Source: KRQE News

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Taxonomy

• Sludge Separation
• Pollution
• Sewage