The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) is working to repair a broken force main in Earth City. The break was discovered Monday afternoon near an office park at Earth City Expressway and Lakefront Dr. MSD crews responded, located the break, and immediately began assessing repair needs.
While work is going on, there is a possibility of overflows at the following locations:
- 3855 Taussig Ln, Bridgeton
- 13818 N Rider Trail, Earth City
- 15001 Riverport Ln, Maryland Heights
- 13900 Riverport Dr, Maryland Heights
MSD will use a combination of Vactor trucks, which suck up sewage, and detention basins to contain any overflows. Cleanup and disinfection needs will be assessed once repairs are complete. No road closures are expected, and 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 any creeks, ponds or detention basins in the immediate vicinity until everything is cleaned up. 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 move 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.