Hundreds of Thousands of Gallons of Sewage Spills Into the Concho River

SAN ANGELO, TX – Following the severe flood on Saturday afternoon, raw sewage spilled over the wastewater treatment facility and into the Concho River.

According to the City of San Angelo, on July 1, 2023, over 200,000 gallons of sewage spilled into the river. Between 9 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. on July 2, pumps at the treatment facility were not running. City crews and AEP were able to get the system back operational.

Luckily, due to the significant amount of rain, the spill was greatly diluted. However, everyone in the downstream area of the wastewater treatment facility should exercise extreme caution when using water.

The following is the full release from the City of San Angelo:

A spill of untreated wastewater from the City’s Wastewater Treatment Facility, located at 1898 City Farm Road, into the Concho River has occurred. This is about 1 mile north of the FM 380 bridge at the Concho River, east of San Angelo. 

The spill began July 1, at approximately 9 p.m. and was contained by 12:30 a.m., Sunday morning. The estimated volume discharged into the Concho River is 234,677 gallons.

The estimated volume discharged into the unlined lagoon is 151,500 gallons. Water Reclamation Facility staff along with personnel from AEP Texas, were able to re-energize the pumping station, returning the station to normal operations.

Local government officials and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s regional office have been notified. City crews are collecting Concho River water samples to monitor any effects and have started the clean up and disinfection process. 

The area that could be affected is the Concho River downstream from the wastewater treatment facility, and private drinking water wells or river pumps near the river. The cause of the discharge was due to an electric transformer failure that serves the pumping station at the facilities emergency pond. The emergency pond holds the excess wastewater that comes into the plant which sometimes occurs after heavy rain events like we received yesterday.

Because of the heavy rains and the current high flow of the Concho River, the spill will be greatly diluted and the effects reduced by the time it reaches Ivie Reservoir, where it will be further diluted. 

Persons using private drinking water supply wells located within 1/2 mile of the spill site
or within the potentially affected area should use only water that has been distilled or boiled at a rolling boil for at least one minute for all personal uses including drinking, cooking, bathing, and tooth brushing. Individuals with private water wells should have their well water tested and disinfected, if necessary, prior to discontinuing distillation or boiling.

Persons who purchase water from a public water supply may contact their water supply
distributor to determine if the water is safe for personal use. 

The public should avoid contact with waste material, soil, or water in the area potentially affected by the spill. If the public comes into contact with waste material, soil or water potentially affected by the spill, they should bathe and wash clothes thoroughly as soon as possible.

For more information, contact Public Works Executive Director Shane Kelton at [email protected] or 325-657-4209.