Earlier today, a broken valve at an MSD pump station caused the discharge of untreated wastewater into the River des Peres.
Earlier today, a broken valve at an MSD pump station caused the discharge of untreated wastewater into the River des Peres. The discharge took place at a point less than three-quarters of a mile from the Mississippi River. The pump station where the valve failed is located at MSD’s Lemay Wastewater Treatment Plant, near South Broadway Street and Hoffmeister Avenue. The discharge took place at a separate pump station near Fannie Avenue and River City Boulevard in south St. Louis County. To make repairs, it was necessary to shut down the pump station with the faulty valve. Emergency repairs were made, taking approximately 5 hours. During this time, untreated wastewater discharged into the River des Peres and, thus, the Mississippi River. The exact volume is unknown at this time and is being calculated. However, given heavy rains throughout the St. Louis area over the past 24 to 36 hours, the total volume could be up to 1 million gallons. While the untreated wastewater was quickly diluted upon entering the waterways, the public is asked to avoid contact with areas of the two rivers for 48 to 72 hours. The exact areas are the River des Peres south of Fannie Avenue at River City Casino Boulevard and the Mississippi River near the mouth of the River des Peres. The discharge was reported to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), as required by law. Once volume calculations are complete, final numbers will be added to the report that was filed with MDNR.