Officials: Sewage spill likely won't affect Vt.
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By Gordon Dritschilo Staff Writer - Published: August 11, 2009
State officials in Vermont and New York said sewage that wound up in the Mettawee River in Granville, N.Y., should not make it into Vermont.
Officials from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation announced last week that an accidental discharge from the Granville wastewater treatment plant dumped more partially treated sewage into the river than previously believed.
New York DEC spokesman Yancey Roy said the discharge, which took place July 28, dumped 250,000 gallons of wastewater into the river.
Monday, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Spokeswoman Sabina Haskell said the treatment plant is downstream from the Vermont border, and the sewage should have headed toward Whitehall.
She said it could have gone to the southern end of Lake Champlain, but that ANR did not believe there was any danger to Vermont.
Roy said the spill, which was visible up to 10 miles downstream from the plant, was mitigated in part by heavy rain in the days that followed. He also said New York officials had not seen dead fish or other signs of damage.
Local officials cooperated fully with an investigation, Roy said, that found a pump overheated and failed at the plant. Last week, the New York DEC cited Granville for four violations of state regulations, each of which carries a maximum fine of $37,500.
gordon.dritschilo@rutlandherald.com
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