Nolan Creek Sewage Leak Stopped

Nolan Creek Sewage Leak Stopped

UPDATE:
Nolan Creek Sewage Leak Stopped
Nov. 17, 2021
4:40 p.m.
The sewer spill into Nolan Creek west of the Temple-Belton Wastewater Treatment Plant has been stopped, allowing for the repair to be made to the force main. The City of Belton notified the public today that the broken main resulted in an unauthorized sewage discharge into Nolan Creek.

It is estimated that the discharge is 1.3 million gallons, based on average flow data from the plant.

This morning the Brazos River Authority, which manages the plant for Temple and Belton, notified the City about the leak, which was discovered due to abnormally low sewage flows from the City into the treatment plant.

The City assigned a work crew to the site, which immediately began assessing how to fix the leak, and consulted with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to assure that the proper notifications would be made to the agency and the public.

A sewage pump truck was deployed to temporarily stop the leak. Following that measure, flow from the force main was diverted to an existing force main that allows a repair to be made without further impacting the flow of sewage into the plant.

It is unclear what caused the leak to occur.

Sewer Line Repair Underway -- Nolan Creek Impacted East of I-35
Nov. 17, 2021
1:04 p.m.
The City of Belton is working to repair a sewer force main near the Temple-Belton Wastewater Treatment Plant, which has caused an unauthorized sewage discharge into Nolan Creek. The size of the discharge is still being determined but it exceeds 100,000 gallons.

The discharge is on private property, and the property owner has been notified. The public should avoid contact with creek water that is downstream from the treatment plant and should not ingest the water. If someone comes in contact with the water, the person should bathe and thoroughly wash clothes as soon as possible. Additionally, fisherman should avoid any dead or dying fish. If a fisherman in the area catches a fish that he or she intends to consume make sure it is properly cleaned and thoroughly cooked.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has been notified about the discharge, and a remediation plan is in development. We will provide an update when more information becomes available.