MILLSBORO, Del.- Weeks after a wastewater treatment upset at their facility east of Millsboro, Mountaire Farms tells WBOC they've fired both management and operations personnel.
"This is something that it was not readily apparent to senior management. Solids had been building up under the crust of the anaerobic lagoon system," attorney Michael Parkowski says of the upset. "While it was thought the solids were being adequately treated it was not the case, and as a result, the people responsible for keeping track of the system were fired."
Mountaire also says that since the upset, employees from Tidewater Utilities have come in to provide external oversight at the facility. Mountaire says the slow speed of groundwater flow, the direction it flows, and existing high levels of nitrates in county soil are evidence that Mountaire's upset did not contaminate nearby wells, but nevertheless they've offered to install free deep wells to those who live nearby as a good neighbor gesture.
"I think we've got 21 of the affected residents contact the company and indicate that they'd like to hear more," Parkowski tells WBOC.
Parkowski said due to litigation issues, the company could not more specific details on the firings, such as when they took place or who exactly was let go.
