Employees respond to small overflow near Interurban Pump Station in Tukwila

Sewer utility employees quickly stopped a sewage overflow discovered this morning near the Interurban Pump Station in Tukwila.

It’s estimated that about 500 gallons of wastewater spilled from a pipe and likely flowed into the Duwamish River near South 143^rd Street.

County staff took water quality samples and notified health and regulatory agencies about the overflow, which was caused by a malfunction in a vacuum relief check valve repaired in July.

The county had planned to begin a valve replacement project but was unable to secure needed parts, which are expected to arrive next week.

Crews have made temporary repairs and will continue to monitor the site over the next several days.

Note to editors and reporters: Visit the WTD Newsroom, a portal to information for the news media about the Wastewater Treatment Division, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks: http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/wtd/Newsroom.aspx

This release is also posted on the Web site for the Department of Natural Resources and Parks at http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/dnrp.aspx

Related information

Wastewater education program

King County Wastewater Treatment