CONSTANTINE — A sewer spill from the force main that send effluent from Constantine to Three Rivers experienced two failures in mid-June, according to the Village of Constantine.
The village announced in a release Wednesday that on June 18, the pipeline broke for the first time, allowing waste to escape to the surface and run down the ditch and shoulder of the 15000 block of Gleason Road in Fabius Township. The break was discovered by a resident who phoned Central Dispatch to report the event.
Excavators reportedly arrived at the scene the next morning, on June 19, and the line was repaired shortly before noon. It was estimated that with the first spill, roughly 15,000 gallons were spilled.
A second break was reportedly discovered shortly before 2 p.m. on June 19. According to the village, the pumps were “between cycles” at the time, and approximately 50,000 gallons were spilled; pumps were reportedly shut down “promptly.” Excavators arrived on scene at approximately 6 p.m. and line repairs were completed by around 11 p.m.
Village Manager Mark Honeysett said in an email Wednesday that there was “no contamination, and no pooled water, so there was nothing to clean up” with the spill. When asked why it took nearly a month to report it, he said the village has been “crazy busy and overwhelmed,” citing long work hours for him on the 19th and 20th, and he did not have an opportunity to report it. He said an engineer had reminded him the event hadn’t been reported.
“I wish I could offer a better excuse, but I don’t have a better excuse,” Honeysett said.
Both spills were reported to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
Saturday, September 07, 2024
