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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Sept. 4, 1998
98-159
Contact: Sandy Howard Rudnick, Ecology, (360) 407-6239; pager: (360)
786-3136
Dr. Karen Steingart, Health Officer, SW Washington Health District (360)
695-9215
Dr. Thomas Bell, Health Officer, Cowlitz County Health Health Department (360)
414-5581
Rich Ellis, state Department of Health, (360) 236-3072
Steve Kelso, state Department of Health, (360) 586-4002
OLYMPIA - The Woodland municipal wastewater treatment plant is once again operational and pollution discharged from the plant into the North Fork of the Lewis River earlier this week has washed away to the Pacific Ocean, according to Dave Knight, state Department of Ecology (Ecology) water quality specialist.
"Based on the Department of Ecology's assessment, the potential threat to people from exposure to pollution from the treatment plant appears to be minimal," said Rich Ellis, state Department of Health public health advisor. "But, as we always underscore with river water, it is prudent to take caution, because you never really know for sure what's in the water. If people want to be absolutely sure that they are not exposed to contaminants in an open body of water, they should stay out of the water."
A toxic discharge from an unknown source late Tuesday or early Wednesday disabled Woodland's sewer treatment plant, allowing an estimated 175,000 gallons of inadequately treated sewage to escape into the river.
As a precaution, state Ecology and Health department officials on Wednesday advised people to avoid contact with the river. Follow-up river water sampling was not conducted because the pollution soon became diluted in the flow of the river.
Samples taken at the time of the incident are currently at two laboratories for analysis. Results anticipated sometime next week may help identify the nature of the toxic discharge that disabled the treatment plant.
"Our top priorities were to get the treatment plant operational and to let the public know about the incident," Knight said. "Our kudos go to the plant operator, who worked a quick miracle to turn the system around."
Knight asked anyone with information about the source of the toxic discharge to call Ecology. "These kinds of incidents are inexcusable and degrade our state's waters and salmon habitat," he said.
To report information about the possible source of the discharge, call Ecology at (360) 407-6300.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
