Plainwell city officials said a sewer spill Thursday, Feb. 9, wasn’t dangerous and was small in size.
Water renewal superintendent Brian Pond said the city was notified by people on social media to the spill, along the side of US-131.
Pond said, “No risk to any well, it’s Otsego Township or Plainwell city water in the area and the spill wasn’t big enough in any case.”
He said the city has a lift station near 12th Street which helps push pressurized sewage through a force main that runs under the expressway.
An opening called a cleanout is there so crews can service the force main, but the cover on it had dislodged itself and about 500 gallons of sewage spilled onto the ground nearby.
City workers reattached the cover, which Pond said might have come loose because glue had gotten too old or could have been vandalized.
Freezing temperatures at the time meant the sewage wasn’t very dangerous and city workers disinfected the whole area just to be safe.
Pond said the law required the city to call a local media outlet every time there was a sewer spill.
Contact Dan Pepper at dpepper@allegannews.com or at (269) 673-5534 or (269) 685-9571.
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