Heavy Rainfall Produces Wastewater Collection Line Over Flows

Oak Leaf-Heavy rainfall and severe flooding on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 18 and 19 caused a wastewater over flows from the Trinity River Authority of Texas’ Red Oak Creek Regional Wastewater collection system.

Wastewater lines are customarily built adjacent to streams, in this situation Red Oak Creek, to enable wastewater to flow by gravity to treatment facilities. When rainfall and flood water cover collection lines and manholes, water is able to enter or infiltrate into the collection lines. Over flows occur when the combined volume of wastewater and rainfall/floodwater exceed the capacity of the line.

While highly undesirable, the impact was minimized on this occasion by the volume of flood water in both the collection line and Red Oak Creek which ultimately receive a portion of this flow.

The over flow occurred at a location in Oak Leaf, a community adjacent to Red Oak.   As of 9 P.M. on March 20 the manhole was continuing to over flow.  A final estimated volume will be reported to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality when the over flows stop.

The manhole is in the vicinity Willowbend Drive.  From approximately 2 P.M. on March 20 until 9 P.M. on March 20, an estimated total of 100,000 gallons of wastewater was released.

Planning, design and construction is underway to provide additional pipeline capacity in this area.  Activities are currently underway to identify and eliminate any potential blockage.

No public drinking water supplies were threatened or contaminated by these over flows. The TCEQ requires all wastewater over flows in excess of 100,000 gallons to be reported to themselves, the public and other designated public officials.

For more information contact John Jadrosich, (817) 493-5121