A mechanical failure at the San Antonio Water Systems (SAWS) treatment plant led to the spill of thousands of gallons of sewage into the San Antonio River on the South Side.
SAWS reported that more than 100,000 gallons of domestic wastewater leaked from the Steven M. Clouse Water Recycling Center, located at 3495 Valley Road. Of that, approximately 20,000 gallons made their way into the river, according to SAWS spokeswoman Anne Hayden, who spoke to KSAT on Monday. Hayden added that the sewage quickly diluted in the river.
The spill was caused by a mechanical issue at the facility, as outlined in a SAWS news release. In response to the incident, SAWS notified the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and issued a public notice as a precautionary measure.
“The situation has been resolved; the vast majority of the spill stayed on-site and has been cleaned up, but we were still required to report it,” Hayden stated. “We’ve been working with TCEQ and SARA today to check downstream for any damage. It all seems to be okay.”
SAWS continues to monitor the situation and coordinate with environmental agencies to ensure the area remains safe.
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