Untreated sewage flows into St. Louis-area river
FENTON (AP) — A flooding-related malfunction at a suburban St. Louis wastewater treatment plant is being blamed for sending untreated sewage into the Meramec River.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the sewage has been flowing into the river at least since Monday night. It's not immediately clear how much sewage was discharged.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District spokesman Sean Hadley says floodwaters apparently overran the control room at the wastewater plant in Fenton on Monday night. Electric utility Ameren then cut off power to the plant for safety reasons.
Hadley says sewage that normally would be treated at the plant is not being treated and instead is being diverted into nearby rivers and streams.