NEWPORT — The Newport City wastewater treatment facility reported an untreated discharge of approximately 100,000 to 125,000 gallons of sludge into the Clyde River on Sunday, April 21.
According to the incident report submitted by Chief Operator Jason Herman, an employee left a valve open after filling a smaller sludge tank, causing the tank to overflow into a catch basin.
The discharge pipe from the basin empties into a drainage ditch that extends roughly 200 feet before entering the Clyde River.
The overflow began at approximately 10:00 a.m. and was stopped by 3:00 p.m. once the valves were closed. According to the incident report, staff used fire hoses to clean up the sludge tank and surrounding lawn area.
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation’s Wastewater Management Program is currently reviewing the incident report and will work with the facility to address any necessary corrective actions or follow-up measures.
Untreated sludge overflows can pose risks to public health and aquatic life due to the high levels of bacteria, nutrients, and other pollutants present in the material.
