Iowa septic company dumps a thousand gallons of waste into storm sewer, souring a ditch

JEFFERSON, IOWA – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources investigated a stormwater drainage ditch containing dark colored water near the North Raccoon River in Jefferson in Greene County.

On March 26 at 7:50 PM, the DNR Field Office in Atlantic was notified of dark colored water observed in a stormwater ditch in Daubendiek Park on the southwest side of Jefferson. The stormwater ditch drains to the North Raccoon River.

DNR field staff responded to the incident, and upon arrival observed multiple pockets of discolored water in the ditch. Water samples were collected and delivered to the State Hygienic Laboratory for further analysis. Officials are investigating the source of the discolored water, but do not believe any reached the North Raccoon River. No dead fish were observed in the area.

Cleanup efforts have begun. City staff constructed a berm in the stormwater ditch, which currently has low flow, to prevent contamination from reaching the North Raccoon River. Residents are advised to avoid contact with water in the drainage ditch at this time.

The source of the dark and murky water in a stormwater drainage ditch near the North Raccoon River in Jefferson was later identified.

DNR field staff responded to the incident, and upon arrival observed multiple pockets of discolored water in the ditch. City staff constructed a berm in the stormwater ditch to prevent contamination from reaching the North Raccoon River, and pumped nearly 6000 gallons of contaminated water out of the ditch.

On March 28, DNR staff received a phone call from a resident who reported seeing a Sloan Plumbing, Heating, A/C, and Septic vehicle dumping wastewater from its truck into a manhole at the north end of Kelso Park in Jefferson.

Officials with Jefferson Public Works and the Greene County Sheriff’s Office contacted Chad Sloan, the owner of Sloan Septic, for more information. Mr. Sloan stated he directed one of his employees to dump in a manhole at that location due to the normal dumpsite being blocked by construction at the wastewater plant.

The employee unknowingly chose the storm sewer manhole instead of the wastewater collection system manhole. It is estimated that nearly 1000 gallons of septic waste were dumped into the storm sewer system.

The Iowa DNR, Jefferson Public Works and the Greene County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the public for helping to identify the source of the contaminated water.

(TOP PHOTO of contaminated ditch via Iowa DNR.))