150K Gallons Of Wastewaster Spill In Llano County, Texas Officials Unable To Contain It Right Now

Llano, Texas, has a big mess to clean up from the floods, and it’s not just water. Around 150,000 gallons of domestic wastewater spilled into the area on Monday morning. As of last night, the situation was still not under control.

According to KXAN, the domestic wastewater spilled into Oatman Creek on Monday at around 7 a.m. The creek is located approximately 150 yards from the Llano River. The spill happened just east of Ford Street in Llano, a small community 107 miles from San Antonio.

The Texas Commissioner on Environmental Quality believes that flash flooding is what caused the spill. Unfortunately, officials cannot contain the spill right now due to the water flow. However, the water supply systems are undergoing increased monitoring. Once the water recedes, they can get to the area and work on cleaning up the spill.

Officials are asking residents in Llano, Texas to avoid contact with water, soil, and waste material from the spill. If you do make contact, then bathe immediately and wash clothing thoroughly.

Those who have water wells within a half mile of the spill need to have the water distilled or heat it to a rolling boil for a minimum of one minute. Do this if the water is going to be used for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, and bathing.

For residents with a well in the affected area of the spill needs to have the water well tested and possibly disinfected. If water was purchased in a public water supply in the area should call the distributor to find out if it is safe to use.

https://www.facebook.com/KXANnews/posts/10155095621283037

The rural counties of the Texas Hill County have been faced with tons of rain and thunderstorms the past few days, including Llano. While getting some rain was welcome after an intensely hot summer, it does have its downfalls, such as flash flooding. This is what allegedly caused the domestic wastewater spill.

https://www.facebook.com/DailyTrib/posts/2037168669844465

According to E&E News, the state of Texas does not track wastewater spills. So, it is unknown how often this occurs. However, the official website for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has guidelines for when a spill is considered an emergency and which jurisdiction is responsible.

[Featured Image by Eric Gay/AP Images]