Iowa DNR advises people to stay out of Wapsipinicon River after wastewater discharge
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is advising nature enthusiasts to stay out of the Wapsipinicon River downstream from Anamosa as it investigates a wastewater discharge at a city facility, according to a news release from the department.
The City of Anamosa notified the DNR Manchester Field Office of a wastewater discharge due to equipment failure at the wastewater plant lift station on Wednesday, March 27. The discharge was discovered at about 8:15 a.m. and it’s estimated that up to 50,000 gallons of untreated sewage flowed into a storm drain leading to the Wapsipinicon River. City officials say the equipment has been repaired and cleanup efforts are underway, according to the release.
Downstream recreational users should stay out of the Wapsipinicon River at this time. Currently, no dead fish have been found and the Iowa DNR will follow up with the city to assess the situation.
If you see a release after hours, call the DNR’s emergency spill line at (515) 725-8694 or click here. Reporting a spill quickly helps DNR staff identify the cause of an incident.
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