BLANCHARDVILLE - Heavy rainfall this week caused the Blanchardville Wastewater Treatment Plant to empty thousands of gallons of untreated wastewater into the Pecatonica River Thursday.
Blanchardville Village Clerk Amy Barnes said the Wastewater Treatment Plant was unable to keep up with the incoming flow of floodwater during heavy rains Wednesday night, forcing plant operators to dump an estimated 35,000 gallons of untreated wastewater into the east branch of the Pecatonica River Thursday morning.
Barnes said the increased inflow from Blanchardville's storm sewers, along with higher water levels of the Pecatonica River, was too much for the plant's pumps to handle.
Blanchardville received more than 4 inches of rain Wednesday night during a severe thunderstorm. Barnes said Dodgeville, near the Pecatonica headwater, received 5 inches of rain.
Although the dumped wastewater was untreated, Barnes said it would have minimal impact on human health or the environment.
"It's like a barnyard," Barnes said. "Although our analyst says a barnyard would be worse."
Blanchardville Village Clerk Amy Barnes said the Wastewater Treatment Plant was unable to keep up with the incoming flow of floodwater during heavy rains Wednesday night, forcing plant operators to dump an estimated 35,000 gallons of untreated wastewater into the east branch of the Pecatonica River Thursday morning.
Barnes said the increased inflow from Blanchardville's storm sewers, along with higher water levels of the Pecatonica River, was too much for the plant's pumps to handle.
Blanchardville received more than 4 inches of rain Wednesday night during a severe thunderstorm. Barnes said Dodgeville, near the Pecatonica headwater, received 5 inches of rain.
Although the dumped wastewater was untreated, Barnes said it would have minimal impact on human health or the environment.
"It's like a barnyard," Barnes said. "Although our analyst says a barnyard would be worse."