KC Water crews responded to a wastewater overflow near 258 W 3rd Street in Kansas City, MO which occurred at 11:00 am on Thursday, August 15th, 2024, and ended at 3:30 pm the same day. 27000 gallons were spilled and reached the Missouri River.
The overflow was caused by from construction debris from the ongoing bridge project in that area. The 15-inch sewer mains have been cleaned removing the majority of the rock, restoring normal flow to the 15-inch collection system. Cleaning crews returned on site on Friday, August 16th, to continue to remove any rock remaining.
Buried underneath the streets of Kansas City are nearly 2,800 miles of sewer pipes hidden from view but serving an important purpose: to move whatever goes down the drain or toilet away from our homes and businesses to the City’s six wastewater treatment plants. There, pollutants are removed from the water before it is put back into our local rivers. Our wastewater systems protect public health and our environment, and some of the pipes are 50, 100, even 150 years old and still in use today. KC Water’s Smart Sewer program is our commitment to reduce and prevent overflows from Kansas City’s sewer system.
For more information contact media@kcmo.org.
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KC Water maintains and operates water treatment and distribution systems, stormwater management systems, and wastewater collection and treatment systems for residential and business customers in Kansas City and for wholesale customers in the Kansas City area. KC Water is primarily funded by fees charged to customers based on their use or impacts on the three utility systems.