Structural failure of holding tank causes large spill of wastewater at SW Houston treatment plant

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston Public Works said clean-up began on Tuesday morning after a holding tank's structure failed and caused a major sewage water spill at a southwest Houston treatment plant.

The spill happened at the Almeda Sims Wastewater Treatment plant around 10 a.m. on Tuesday in the 12300 block of Almeda Road near W. Orem Drive.

According to officials, an estimated 600,000 gallons of wastewater were released in the spill. According to a release from Houston Public Works, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has been notified.

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In these situations, the TCEQ is required to send mandatory notifications to people with private water supply wells who live within half a mile of the spill site or the possibly affected area, urging them to use distilled or boiled water at a rolling boil for at least one minute for all uses, such as drinking, bathing, or cooking.

Officials did ensure that those who receive drinking water from the City of Houston were safe and would not need to boil water.

The public is urged not to come in contact with the waste or water that could be affected by the spill.

If the public comes into contact with waste material, soil, or water potentially affected by the spill, they should bathe and wash clothes thoroughly as soon as possible.

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