Work continues Wednesday at Southside Pump Station. (Photo: WBOC)SALISBURY, Md.- The Salisbury Public Works Department has scaled back the estimate of untreated wastewater that poured into the Wicomico River when a pumping station failed on Tuesday. Officials now say 41,870 gallons of sewage dumped into the river, not the original estimate of more than 100,000 gallons.
The new number was computed by George, Miles & Buhr consultants, using the area, time, slope and velocity to estimate the overflow.
City officials say major rain storms toward the beginning of September created inflow and infiltration at the Southside Pumping Station on Ridge Road. This pushed trash, debris and grit into the pumps. The overflow started around 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday when an auxiliary pump failed.
A representative of Maryland Department of the Environment told WBOC a second overflow occurred early Wednesday morning in the area of Ridge Road.
The City of Salisbury could face fines of up to $32,500 per day for each overflow from Maryland Department of the Environment. In order to avoid these fines, the city must prove the spill was beyond its control.
