300,000 gallons of wastewater spills into Buffalo Bayou
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A ruptured pipe has spilled hundreds of thousands of gallons of wastewater into Buffalo Bayou, according to the city.
Public works said a 42-inch sanitary sewer pipe ruptured on the south bank of the bayou near the 9600 block of Longmont, sending more than 300,000 gallons of waste into the waterway by Thursday morning. Storm damage has left the ground around the spill unstable, hindering repair efforts.
In the meantime, the city has installed a bypass pump that will continue to provide wastewater service until permanent repairs can be made. The public is urged to avoid contact with waste material, soil or water in the impacted area.
While information was disseminated by the city indicating that residents in the area of the spill who get their water from private wells should boil or distill their water, the city says that there are no such private wells in the affected area. The order was issued as a formality, according to the city's public works department.
The public water supply was not impacted by the spill.
