Crews with the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) are working to repair a broken underground force main on the outskirts of Maryland Heights. The work started around noon Monday, near Creve Coeur Mill Road and Highway 141.
Pump stations upstream of the break have been shut down to allow for repairs. Shutting down the pump stations increases the likelihood of wastewater overflows in the vicinity. Potentially affected areas include:
• Caulks Creek, in a wooded area west of Crystal Spring Drive
• Bonhomme Creek, along the Monarch Chesterfield Levee trail behind Chesterfield Commons
• Other portions of Bonhomme Creek around I-64
While the pump stations are shut down, MSD will use a fleet of trucks that suck up wastewater, to minimize any potential overflows. Once repairs are complete, and the force main is fully operational, containment efforts will shift to any necessary cleanup. That’s expected to be sometime this week. Sewer service will not be affected.
Warning signs have been posted in the area, advising the public of the overflow. While there is no immediate threat to public health or safety, everyone is asked to avoid physical contact with Bonhomme and Caulks Creeks through the week. Anyone who comes in contact with wastewater should immediately and thoroughly wash with soap and water.
A force main is a sewer line that uses pumps to transport wastewater. Pumps and force mains are necessary when gravity alone is not enough to move wastewater through flat areas or over hills to a wastewater treatment plant.
MSD has reported the break to The Missouri Department of Natural Resources.