Wastewater overflow reported in Pearland

More than 650,000 gallons of wastewater overflowed from a Pearland treatment plant, leading the city to warn people to avoid contact with adjacent Clear Creek downstream from the facility, which is near the intersection of Barry Rose Road and Pearland Parkway. less More than 650,000 gallons of wastewater overflowed from a Pearland treatment plant, leading the city to warn people to avoid contact with adjacent Clear Creek downstream from the facility, which is near the ... more Photo: Kirk Sides/Staff Photographer Photo: Kirk Sides/Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Wastewater overflow reported in Pearland 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Flooding is being blamed for overflow of more than 650,000 gallons of wastewater from a Pearland treatment plant that has led the city to warn people to avoid contact with adjacent Clear Creek downstream from the facility, which is near the intersection of Barry Rose Road and Pearland Parkway.

“Due to the length of time the overflow occurred, City of Pearland recommends citizens avoid any contact with the creek, as well as abstain from any recreational use of the channel from downstream of the Barry Rose Water Reclamation Facility,” the city reported in a press release. “If the public comes into contact with water or soil potentially affected by the spill, they should bathe and wash clothes thoroughly as soon as possible.”

The warning — which Texas Commission on Environmental Quality require the city to issue when wastewater overflow exceeds 100,000 gallons — occurred after city staff discovered Wednesday that below-ground pumps that move sewage into the treatment facility had failed at 11:30 p.m. the day before, according to the release.

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Emergency pumps were ordered at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday and the facility began operating again that day, but an estimated 654,000 gallons — or 15 percent of the plant’s daily wastewater intake — overflowed at one manhole inside and four outside of the facility that lead to a drainage ditch that outflows to Clear Creek.

The ditch attracts anglers when Clear Creek rises, and one man was seen fishing by that ditch late Wednesday afternoon

City officials believe that because of elevated creek levels, any contaminants from the spill should dissipate quickly, and staff members were monitoring the water upstream and downstream and reporting results to the state commission, according to the release.

Any wastewater on the street has been neutralized and returned to the plant, the release stated.

"We're still waiting on the results," city spokesman Joshua Lee said of testing of creek water, which was conducted using samples from 50 feet upstream from the plant and 50 feet downstream.

The results may be available later today or Friday, he said.

Lee said that crews will be at the plant around the clock to ensure it remains operational. They are monitoring the temporary above-ground bypass pumps while the underground ones are repaired, he said.

For more information, contact the city’s public works at 281-652-1900.

greg.may@chron.com