New Braunfels Utilities crews responded to a sanitary sewer overflow May 27 after a storm system caused a temporary power outage at the Rio Bar Screening Facility, which resulted in an unauthorized discharge of about 550,000 gallons of untreated wastewater into the Guadalupe River.
What you need to know
There is no impact on NBU’s drinking water system, according to a May 27 news release. NBU is communicating with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and following all required reporting and notification procedures related to the incident, the release states.
NBU is also coordinating with the city of New Braunfels, neighboring agencies and downstream water purveyors to inform them of the occurrence. NBU CEO Ryan Kelso said they have begun implementing additional measures to strengthen their systems to reduce the likelihood of a similar event, which include:
- Identifying critical facilities near environmentally sensitive areas
- Increasing testing and verification of backup systems and alarms
- Reviewing the planning, communication and approval processes surrounding maintenance activities at critical facilities
- Enhancing staffing and monitoring capabilities during severe weather events
