Illegal sewage dump causes severe damage to sewage treatment plant

SHELLEY – On February 14, an unknown chemical, likely from an illegal dump, caused significant damage to the facility’s membrane system. The plant operators are asking the public to report if they saw anyone dumping a large volume of substance into a manhole, particularly in a rural area on that date.

On Valentine’s Day, February 14, around 11 p.m., the plant operators at EIRWWA received an alarm of an unacceptable biological activity occurring at the sewage treatment plant. Two days later, a chemical reaction occurred inside the membrane processing building, causing foam to overwhelm the treatment basin and flood the building with one to two feet of foam. 

“The chemical reaction plugged the sensitive membrane system that cleans the affluent,” plant operator Scott Barry said. “Since then, the manufacturer of the membranes and we have been working around the clock to try and clean them and get normal operations restored.”

Recently, the authority installed a set of new membranes, which cost $768,000 to install.   The membranes usually last about nine years in operation. 

“Multiple cleaning solutions and regimes have been employed to clean the membranes. Samples of the membranes and wastewater have been sent to two labs to try and determine what may have entered the plant to cause the upset,” Plant Oversight and JUB Engineer Alan Giesbrecht said. “Once the substance is known, we can find a more effective way to clean the membranes and determine the source of the chemical. 

EIRWWA plant is found one mile west of Shelley, along the Snake River. The cities of Shelley and Ammon and Bingham and Bonneville Counties own and operate the plant. EIRWWA is asking anyone who may have seen someone dumping a large volume of solution into a manhole to contact them. According to Barry, the volume of solution dumped was likely 1,000 to 2,000 gallons. 

Dumping any solution or material down a manhole is illegal in most counties and cities.   A person dumping such could be held criminally liable.