King County Wastewater utility crew responds to small overflow on Mercer Island

A King County wastewater utility crew quickly stopped a small overflow that occurred at South Mercer Island Pump Station during a local power outage late Saturday morning.

An emergency generator supplying power to the facility experienced mechanical problems, which caused the pump station to overflow for about five minutes. It’s estimated that about 5,000 gallons of wastewater overflowed into Lake Washington through an emergency outfall.

The crew fixed the generator by resetting an electrical switch. Power in the area has been restored and the facility is now operating normally.

King County environmental lab staff took water samples and notified health and regulatory agencies about the overflow. 

People enjoy clean water and a healthy environment because of King County's wastewater treatment program. The county’s Wastewater Treatment Division protects public health and water quality by serving 17 cities, 17 local sewer utilities and more than 1.4 million residents in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties. Formerly called Metro, the regional clean-water agency now operated by King County has been preventing water pollution for more than 40 years.