With the weather forecast calling for warmer temperatures this weekend, members of the public might undertake outdoor recreational activities on or near the Meramec River between Fenton, Missouri, and the Mississippi River. Due to damage caused by flooding along the Meramec River in late December, the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District’s (MSD) Fenton Wastewater Treatment Plant is offline. The result is that wastewater from area homes and businesses is being diverted to the Meramec River, without treatment. While there is no immediate threat to public health and safety, the public is advised to avoid contact with the section of the Meramec River between Fenton and the Mississippi River. Signs are being placed in areas where the public may readily come into contact with this section of the river. If anyone should come into contact with this section of the Meramec River, they should immediately and thoroughly wash with soap and water.
BACKGROUND: In late December, historic flooding along the Meramec River overcame and damaged the Fenton Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Grand Glaize Wastewater Treatment Plant. Since then, MSD crews and contractors have been working to bring to bring both plants back online as soon as possible. As announced by MSD earlier this week, the Grand Glaze Plant is back online and wastewater at that facility is receiving full treatment once again. However, the Fenton Plant sustained far worst damage and is far from being operational.
The Fenton Plant is located within the 100-year floodplain. On December 28, 2015, internal flooding of the plant began from within MSD’s own collection system, disrupting and damaging operations. 48 hours later, flooding from the Meramec itself overwhelmed the plant when floodwaters topped a permanent, MSD-constructed 500-year levee around the plant. At one point, six feet of floodwater covered the entire facility. As a result, it has taken MSD staff considerable time to access the entire plant and assess damages. Currently, the plant’s pump station is being used to pump wastewater around the plant and maintain uninterrupted service for customers. MSD crews and contractors are working to salvage the plant, restore power, repair and replace essential systems, and bring it back to full operation. A concurrent priority for MSD is to determine the cause of the internal flooding from its wastewater collection system in order to prevent similar damage in the future.
Last month, a prolonged period of rainfall occurred from the early morning hours of December 26 to the evening of December 28. The St. Louis area received a range of six to 12 inches of precipitation, with an average of nine inches of rain falling over the three days. This rainfall impacted area rivers, causing severe flooding throughout the region. The Meramec River reached record flood levels at 44.1’ – eclipsing the level reached during the Great Flood of 1993 – causing flooding and damage at three MSD treatment plants, including the Grand Glaize and Fenton facilities
To date, MSD has sustained an estimated $24 million dollars in overall expenses and damages due to the rain and flood event. Part of this larger number, is an estimate of $16 million for recovery at the three treatment plants that were damaged. Insurance and disaster assistance from FEMA and other governmental agencies is expected to cover the majority of these losses. However, it is not yet possible to determine exact numbers.
Further updates will be released in the coming weeks as the recovery process and timeline for the Fenton Wastewater Treatment Plant becomes clearer, and the totality of losses and expenses sustained by MSD are finalized.
About MSD Wastewater Treatment Plants
How does MSD choose where to build its treatment plants?
Wastewater systems depend on the natural topography of the land. Gravity moves the wastewater from its source in a home or business down to a wastewater treatment plant. At various points, pumps are required to overcome higher areas of topography. MSD builds wastewater treatment plants in low-lying areas, taking advantage of gravity to move wastewater through its collection system to treatment. Each treatment plant is equipped with flood protections that make the most engineering, operational, and economic sense.
Other information on the two MSD wastewater treatment plants:
The Fenton Wastewater Treatment Plant is located near the intersection of South Old Highway 141 and Gravois Road. The plant serves the Fenton area. The plant was built in 1987 in a 100-year floodplain and is surrounded by an MSD-constructed, permanent 500-year levee. The plant treats approximately 4.0 million gallons of wastewater per day and is designed to handle up to 6.75 million gallons per day.
The Grand Glaize Wastewater Treatment Plant is located at 10th Street and Marshall Road in Valley Park. The plant serves Valley Park and areas of western St. Louis County. The plant was built in 1986 in a 100-year floodplain and is protected from the Meramec River by a municipal-built 100-year levee. The plant treats approximately 15.0 million gallons of wastewater per day and is designed to handle up to 21.0 million gallons per day.
About the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD)
Created in 1954, the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) works every day to protect the public’s health and the natural environment through effective wastewater and stormwater management strategies. MSD is responsible for the public sewer system that homes and businesses connect to through lateral lines. Through a labyrinth of connected sewers, wastewater is transported to one of seven sewer treatment plants – nearly 7,000 miles of sewers in all. That is like going from St. Louis to New York City and back three times! Individual property owners are responsible for another important part of the system, the sewer lateral that connects a home’s plumbing to the public sewer in the street.