By By Karen Graham Mar 26, 2017 in Environment Millions of gallons of raw sewage and untreated runoff have been pouring into Puget Sound since February 9, after an electrical failure crippled Washington state's largest sewage treatment plant. The plant is still undergoing repairs. An electrical failure resulted in catastrophic flooding in the plant, damaging an underground network of pumps, motors, electric panels and other gear. At the time of the initial disaster, King 5 News Jeanne Kohl-Welles, a King County councilwoman whose district includes the 32-acre West Point Treatment Plant, told the Crews have been working around the clock to repair the estimated $25 million in damages to the plant, hoping to have it back online by the end of April. They made sure to note that no raw sewage has been flowing from the plant since February 16. However, King County has launched an independent probe into the incident, saying they want to know what led to the breakdown and equipment failure and what is being done to make sure this type of disaster doesn't happen again. The failure of the treatment plant is particularly worrisome because it gives a black eye to a region that prides itself on its environmental consciousness. It took years of hard work to clean up the nation's second-largest estuary, a monumental task. A recent effort banned boats from dumping raw or partially treated sewage into the Sound. County officials worry that the longer the plant remains at half-capacity, the likelihood of environmental damage grows. Additionally, the county remains in violation of the Clean Water Act until the problems at the plant are fixed and the facility becomes fully operational. In the early morning hours of Thursday, February 9, King County, Washington learned the West Point Treatment Plant near Discovery Park on the Puget Sound had suffered a "major emergency," reported KOMO News. An electrical failure resulted in catastrophic flooding in the plant, damaging an underground network of pumps, motors, electric panels and other gear. At the time of the initial disaster, untreated effluent , a mix of 90 percent storm-water and 10 percent raw sewage, was pouring into the Sound at a rate of 44 million gallons per 24-hours through an outfall three-quarters of a mile from shore at a depth of 240 feet.Jeanne Kohl-Welles, a King County councilwoman whose district includes the 32-acre West Point Treatment Plant, told the Associated Press , "It has been a disaster, and we're not out of it yet. We still don't know really what went wrong. We've got to get a handle on it. I'm very concerned about the environment, the effects on marine life in the sound, public health."Crews have been working around the clock to repair the estimated $25 million in damages to the plant, hoping to have it back online by the end of April. They made sure to note that no raw sewage has been flowing from the plant since February 16.However, King County has launched an independent probe into the incident, saying they want to know what led to the breakdown and equipment failure and what is being done to make sure this type of disaster doesn't happen again.The failure of the treatment plant is particularly worrisome because it gives a black eye to a region that prides itself on its environmental consciousness. It took years of hard work to clean up the nation's second-largest estuary, a monumental task. A recent effort banned boats from dumping raw or partially treated sewage into the Sound.County officials worry that the longer the plant remains at half-capacity, the likelihood of environmental damage grows. Additionally, the county remains in violation of the Clean Water Act until the problems at the plant are fixed and the facility becomes fully operational. More about seattle washington, Puget sound, electrical failure, Pollution, Environment More news from seattle washington Puget sound electrical failure Pollution Environment Clean water act