Silver Springs effluent leak poses no threat, to be repaired soon

An effluent leak that caused two vehicles to get stuck in the resulting mud on Beech Street in Silver Springs posed no threat and will soon be repaired.

According to Robert Freeman, president of the Silver Springs General Improvement District and manager of the sewage plant, an air release valve on an effluent disposal pipe was broken around noon Tuesday, spilling treated effluent onto Beech Street 200 yards south of the treatment plant.

"There was no pipe broken," he said. "There was a little leak, but it was treated effluent water. This was just a minor incident."

The effluent was being piped to the Silver Springs Airport to be dispersed on airport grounds.

Freeman said the damage was being assessed and as soon as a report is done, the valve would be repaired. The effluent was turned off as soon as the leak was discovered.

Don Allen, manager of the Silver Springs Water Company, reported the leak to the GID office.

"There was someone driving who went off in a ditch that had been undermined by the leak, so we went over to check on them, and then our truck got stuck," he said.

Allen said he would be willing to assist the GID, but had not been asked.

Freeman said it was unclear how the damage occurred.

"We don't know yet if it was frozen, or if someone vandalized it, or it might be an accident," he said. Freeman said the spill was reported to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection.

Jon Palm, chief of the state Bureau of Water Pollution Control confirmed a report of the spill was made by the GID Tuesday.

He said that report indicated the valve was damaged possibly by an off-road vehicle, that the leak lasted two hours before it was contained and all standing water was cleaned up.

Julie Jones of the Lyon County Road Division said the leak was reported, but that it was not the county's responsibility.

"It's their leak and they're responsible for it," she said.

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.