Some untreated wastewater entered one of the Iowa Great Lakes in northwest Iowa Sunday. Kevin Baskins, spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says a blockage in a sewer main caused an overflow into Big Spirit Lake.
“There was an estimated 4,000 gallons released to the lake we believe,” Baskins said. The blockage also caused wastewater to backup into at least one home before the overflow was stopped shortly before noon. A swimming advisory is now posted at the Ainsworth-Orleans beach on Big Spirit Lake. Baskins doesn’t believe the advisory will be there for very long.
“It is warm today up there and tomorrow it’s supposed to be even warmer with sunny conditions,” Baskins said. “We know that…when you get warm, sunny weather, the bacteria dies very rapidly in the water. So, any impact that it has, we would not expect it to last very long.”