Repairs and clean-up to a break in a gravity sewer main in West St. Louis County were completed Friday morning by a contractor for the St. Louis County Department of Transportation. The location of the break is approximately one-half mile from Castlewood State Park in unincorporated St. Louis County near New Ballwin Road and Myra Road. The break occurred Tuesday, July 12, 2016, during ongoing bridge replacement construction work that was being conducted by Spencer Contracting, the contractor for St. Louis County Department of Transportation. During the construction, the contractor struck and damaged an 18-inch gravity sewer pipe that runs along Keifer Creek.
The area of creek which was impacted was contained to a small area outside Castlewood State Park, and much of the spilled sewage was pumped back into the sewer. MSD believes that the spill did not reach the nearby recreational areas in Castlewood State Park. The total volume lost from the broken gravity sewer main is being calculated and will be reported to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, as required by law.
There was no immediate threat to public health or safety, but as a precaution MSD placed warning signs in the area advising the public to avoid contact with the affected section of the creek until repairs and clean-up were completed.
The sewer main break was reported to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, as required by law.