The severe weather brought down trees across the county, but it also caused a power surge at one of the city’s sewage lift stations, resulting in approximately 2,145 gallons of sewage discharged.   

David Croom, Covington Waste Water Operator, said city workers made sure to check the city’s nine lift stations because of the storm Wednesday. When checking the Bridgestone station, located at 16417 Avenue of Champions, workers noticed waste water coming out of a manhole due to a power surge. The power supply was then evaluated and reestablished.

Croom said part of the process of any sewage spill, no matter the size, is the requirement to report the spill to the Environmental Protection Division, Health Department and local legal organ, which is The Covington News. He said there are other requirements for spills of more than 10,000 gallons, which would be considered a “major spill.”

The waste water flowed into an unknown tributary, which Croom identified as a “wet weather stream.”

Croom said city residents have no need to be concerned as the waste water was very diluted due to the amount of rain water already on the ground yesterday.  

He and other city employees went back to the area Thursday and walked the area and found nothing of concern.

On average, he said, the Bridgestone station pumps around 175,000 gallons a day, making the spilled amount about 1.2 percent of the daily average.