Cleanup hasn't started on 10,000-gallon sewage spill

Nearly two weeks after up to 10,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into a local lake and park, cleanup has yet to begin, a state official said Monday.

The spill, from a manhole plugged with debris on a Fountain Valley School service line, was discovered on Dec. 19 and reported to state health officials the next day by the Widefield Water and Sanitation District, which provides sewer service to the school.

It’s unclear how long sewage spewed from the manhole, because it’s located in a grassy area, said Gary Soldano, a field unit manager with the State Department of Public Health and Environment’s Water Quality Control Division.

The public was notified of potential danger posed by the sewage spill on Dec. 21.

“Our problem was everybody was leaving town Dec. 21,” Soldano said, explaining the cleanup delay. “That’s why we requested at least to cordon it off and put up signs.”

As of Monday, sewage covered a 70-yard swath in Widefield Park south of the school. It was covered with lime, which helps neutralize bacteria, and cordoned off with yellow warning tape — put up by El Paso County officials after state authorities weren’t satisfied with the school’s warning, printed on copy paper.

“We don’t think that was adequate to warn the public,” Soldano said, noting that the park is frequented by a good number of people and pets, even in winter.

Fountain Valley School Headmaster Craig Larimer said Monday the cleanup was complete and referred questions to the El Paso County Health Department.

County officials could not be reached for comment Monday.

Soldano said state officials haven’t determined whether the school will be fined for the spill, which crossed wetlands and McGregor Reservoir (commonly called Carp Lake) and flowed into the park.

He said the spill’s size, environmental impact and appropriateness of the response will be analyzed in deciding whether to levy a penalty.

Soldano said cleanup will be complicated because sewage flowed over frozen ground and into iced-over Carp Lake.

“Nobody knows whether they can safely get out there,” he said. “We’re trying to work it out between (El Paso County) parks and Fountain Valley School who’s actually going to do the cleanup and be responsible for the cleanup.”

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0238 or pam.zubeck@gazette.com

Staff writer Carlyn Ray Mitchell contributed to this report.