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Seal pops, causes waste water spill
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Times photo: Tere Dunlap The main flush of milkish-colored water flowed from storm sewer outfall under Wisconsin 69 at 16th Street.
MONROE - Approximately 300 gallons of wash water taken from the Wisconsin Cheese Group factory at 1722 12th St. spilled around 11:30 a.m. Friday because of a faulty seal on a Bytec, Inc. pump truck that was hauling it away.

Bytec truck driver Heather Phillipson said she had just finished emptying the cheese factory's waste water into her straight truck. She drove about 200 to 250 feet, when she noticed water spraying out the back.

"I didn't know what to do, so I just backed up and let the rest of it go back down into their manhole," she said.

"The very bottom of the seal popped out," she said. The back of the truck tank opens to allow for cleaning, she said.

Bytec, Inc. of Monroe is a liquid waste management and recycling company.

Monroe Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Gerald Ellefson and City Engineer Supervisor Al Gerber were standing watch for the milkish-colored water at a storm sewer outfall under Wisconsin 69 at 16th Street. The biggest impact passed by around 12:20 p.m.

At 12:35 p.m., Phillipson and Bytec President Steve Byrne started pumping about 2,000 gallons of contaminated water as it flowed from the outfall.

At 12:45 p.m., another Bytec pump truck was in position and waiting to pump 6,000 gallons from the flow downstream in the 500 block of 11th Street southwest of Precision Drive & Control, Inc.

The main flush of milkish-colored water arrived about 1:10 p.m., and Bytec started pumping. Four mallard ducks flew away to join two others in the sky minutes before pumping began.

The four-inch hose on the pump trucks allows for 250 gallons of water per minute to be pumped out.

Byrne said two more trucks would arrive to pump out as much of the spill as possible. He said 24,000 gallons or more would be pumped out, depending upon the decision of Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Gerald Ellefson whether the spill was adequately contained.

Ellefson said domestic waste water is about 200 milligrams per liter, and the wastewater plant must bring that down to 10 mg per liter before discharging it into the stream. Contamination takes oxygen out of a stream which would kill fish. The spill Friday contained about 75,000 mg per liter, he said.

"If you only knew the number of trucks that go through Monroe every day," Ellefson said. "Accidents happen all the time."

The Monroe Police Department contacted Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to inform them as a matter of policy.
Law of the Month: Plan ahead to prevent impaired driving this holiday season
December Law of the Month: Impaired driving
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MADISON — December is here, and with it, another season of holiday celebrations. Don’t cut the party short by driving impaired - it is dangerous, reckless and never the only option.

Wisconsin State Patrol’s December Law of the Month brings attention to impaired driving laws and encourages motorists to find safe ways to get to their destinations this holiday season.

“Across the state, Wisconsinites are celebrating the holidays and the end of another year,” Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan said. “We encourage everyone to take responsibility and plan ahead if you plan to celebrate. Designate a sober driver ahead of time, take public transit, or use a rideshare program to keep yourself and others safe on the roads. There is never an excuse for driving impaired.”

On average, someone is injured or killed in an impaired driving crash every two hours in Wisconsin. In 2023, there were over 7,700 impaired driving crashes that claimed the lives of 186 people on Wisconsin roads.


Drive sober: It’s the law

In Wisconsin, drivers are prohibited from operating any vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of more than 0.08. Under Wisconsin’s “not a drop” law, drivers under age 21 are prohibited from having any detectable amount of alcohol in their system. Drivers may not have any illegal drugs in their system when behind the wheel.

Motorists who refuse a blood/breath alcohol test will lose their license for at least one year and may have their vehicle impounded.


Taking action

Wisconsin law enforcement works hard year-round to encourage safe driving and prevent impaired driving.

Over 7,500 law enforcement officers across the state are trained in Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE). This helps law enforcement detect impaired drivers and get them off the road.

With almost 400 Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) across the state, Wisconsin is helping lead the nation in eliminating drug-impaired driving. DREs help prevent tragedies by identifying the signs of drug-impaired driving and securing convictions to keep them off the roads.

The Wisconsin State Patrol is continuing to highlight the danger that impaired driving poses throughout the holiday season with its Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. Running from Dec. 13, 2024, through Jan. 1, 2025, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is an annual holiday partnership with local law enforcement to keep Wisconsin roads safe and free of impaired drivers.


Stay safe, make smart choices

Driving impaired carries serious consequences. Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) charges can cost you around $10,000. Stay safe and save money on the road this holiday season:

●  Select a sober designated driver ahead of time. If you’re feeling impaired, you are likely over the 0.08 Blood Alcohol Concentration limit and should not drive.

●  Remember you have options: take the bus, call a taxi, use a rideshare or ask a sober friend to drive you home.

●  If you have a friend who is about to drive under the influence, step in. Take away their keys and get them home safely.

●  If it’s your turn to be the sober driver, take that job seriously. 

●  If you suspect a driver is impaired, safely gather as much information as you can about the vehicle, driver and location. Then call 911.

View the December Law of the Month video and news release online: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/newsroom/law/lom.aspx.