The Sequential Batch Reactor Tank at the City of Eddyville Sewer Plant experienced a catastrophic failure resulting in around 800,000 gallons of partially treated sewage to leak on January 6.
At Monday’s Pennyrile Area Development District meeting, Lyon County Judge Executive Jaime Green-Smith provided an update on the aftermath of the leak. Once the leak was discovered, all water treatment plants both downstream and upstream of Lake Barkley were notified, including entities of the City of Kuttawa, Lake Barkley Water, City of Princeton Water, the Crittenden-Livingston Water District and the Kentucky State Penitentiary.
Based on the direction of the leak, Green-Smith says water intake points for the City of Kuttawa and the Crittenden-Livingston Water District could have been affected but Green-Smith says they are around 14.5 miles away from the leak. She says the leak could potentially impact Hammond Creek which flows to Lake Barkley, but the leak will likely not affect the Kuttawa water intake.
Sewage from Eddyville, Fredonia, the West Kentucky Correctional Complex and Lyon County is treated at the plant. In the meantime, Green-Smith says a temporary sewer plant has been constructed while they work to determine if the tank will be fixed or a new one will be built.
The exact cause of the leak is still unknown, Green-Smith says it could take up to a year and a lot of money to figure out the cause. However, she does say that the weather could have played a role in the leak.
Concerning a long-term solution, Green-Smith says the City of Eddyville is applying for the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority’s Emergency Water Grant to receive funding for construction.
Photo courtesy of Lyon County Emergency Management Director Randy Wright