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Wastewater discharge in Iowa

March 4, 2014, Ottumwa, IA – The Cargill Meat Solutions Plant in Ottumwa recently reported a discharge from the plant into a storm sewer.

A short in a power panel caused process wastewater to back up and bypass the industrial treatment system. An estimated 20,000 gallons of untreated wastewater flowed into the storm sewer during the 12 minutes before a backup pump began operating.

The storm sewer flows into the Des Moines River.

The DNR will continue to monitor the situation.