Burleson Cleaning Up After Wastewater Spill

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BURLESON (CBSDFW.COM) - The City of Burleson is cleaning up after a wastewater spill on Friday. It happened earlier this week in the 700 block of North Burleson Boulevard, where a contractor was working on an underground wastewater line.

The company Mountain Cascade was hired by the city to replace and enlarge the underground line. In order to do the job, the contractor installed a bypass pumping station around the part of the line that was being replaced. However, something caused a wastewater spill around the work site.

City officials estimate that the spill happened late Wednesday afternoon and again early Thursday morning. It started around 300 feet east North Burleson Boulevard and extended an additional 700 feet to the east. A natural earthen dam prevented the wastewater from spreading any further.

The city estimated that more than 50,000 gallons of domestic wastewater were spilled. Government officials have been made aware of the incident, and the spill is now in the process of being cleaned up. That includes the removal of all wastewater and debris, the disinfecting of the area, and a flush with clean water.

Officials do not believe that the public's water supply has been tainted.

The city blamed the spill on either vandalism or a possible mechanical failure at the bypass pumping station. That temporary wastewater line will be inspected and reparied, and site security will be enhanced, for future work at this location.