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Sewer line burps 2,000 gallons of waste from manhole

Fibrous roots clogs sewer near treatment plant

A clogged sewer spewed about 2,000 gallons of foulness down a hillside and into a culvert Monday morning near the wastewater-treatment plant in Durango.

None of the discharge made it to the Animas River or into stormwater drains that lead to the river, said Steve Salka, city utilities director.

Drivers heading north on South Camino del Rio most likely would have seen the sludge gushing up to 3 feet into the air from a manhole on the east side of the road, he said. It was reported about 7:45 a.m.

Corey Griffis, chief operator for a city construction crew, put on gloves and waist-high waders and climbed into the sewer system to collect about seven bundles of fibrous roots that bunched up near a 90-degree turn in the system before the sludge makes its way to the wastewater-treatment plant.

“It’s nasty, dirty work, but somebody has to do it to make sure the city runs,” Salka said. “I think these guys wash their hands as much or more than doctors do.”

Vactor trucks sucked up as much of the runoff as possible from a culvert.

Salka said he’ll report the sewer break to the state of Colorado, but no sanctions are expected since the effluent stayed out of the river.

shane@durangoherald.com



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