Crews with The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) are cleaning up and disinfecting after a wastewater overflow in Chesterfield. It happened Monday afternoon at an MSD pump station in an industrial area along Old Chesterfield Road. Contractors had a sewer line capped, and were actively working in the area when the cap failed and wastewater flowed out of the pipe.
Most of the wastewater was contained at the site of the overflow, but MSD environmental investigators believe some did reach Bonhomme Creek, a tributary of the Missouri River. Sewer service was not impacted, and the area will be cleaned up and disinfected now that repairs are complete.
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 Creek until everything is cleaned up and disinfected, and the warning signs have been removed. Anyone who comes in contact with wastewater should immediately and thoroughly wash with soap and water.
MSD uses pumps and force mains to transport wastewater 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.