On June 17 beginning at 11:40 a.m., the City of Owatonna’s Wastewater Treatment Facility needed to bypass partially-treated wastewater to the Straight River due to heavy rains overwhelming the facility’s capacity. The wastewater released was mostly treated and disinfected; however, the sand filters had to be bypassed to avoid flooding the plant. Approximately seven million gallons of partially-treated effluent were discharged to the treatment plant’s discharge station just north of the West North Street bridge. The bypass ended June 18 at 6:30 a.m. Contact with water contaminated with sewage poses a potential health risk. As a precautionary measure, please temporarily avoid contact with river water along the Straight River downstream of the West North Street bridge. The wastewater release was sampled for fecal coliform, biological oxygen demand, total suspended solids, total phosphorus, and pH. Sample results are pending. Please contact Andrew Fischer, Wastewater Plant Manager, for additional information regarding the bypass at Andrew.fischer@owatonna.gov or call the plant at 507.444.2452.
Following the completion of the Wastewater Treatment Facility expansion project in 2025, the possibility of partially-treated wastewater being bypassed due to wet weather events will be eliminated. The project will greatly expand the plant’s capacity to treat wastewater.