Power Outage Causes Overflow Conditions at Treatment Plant

During the heavy storm event on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at approximately 3 p.m., there was an electrical power failure at the City of Tacoma’s Central Sewer Treatment Plant. This power outage, which lasted for approximately 20 minutes, resulted in a sanitary sewerage overflow condition which led to waste water sewage being discharged into the lower Puyallup River at Cleveland Way, and the Foss Waterway at Dock Street.

The plant was also flooded in areas and these issues are currently being mitigated by the City’s Environmental Services staff. The discharge amount is not know at this time but will be estimated as soon as possible. The City has notified the State Department of Ecology, State Department of Health and the Puyallup Tribe of the sewerage overflow conditions.