The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is investigating a wastewater discharge in Denison that was discovered early Thursday morning. At approximately 3:30 a.m., Smithfield crews discovered the discharge after they noticed rinse water flowing across their property in the 800 block of Industrial Drive. For more than two hours, an unknown amount of wastewater entered a nearby storm sewer that empties into the Boyer River. A construction crew built a small dam, which stopped the discharge from escaping. Another crew began cleanup immediately by vacuuming up the rinse water. DNR staff were on site a few hours later and determined a plugged manhole in the plant was what caused the rinse water to leak. Officials are continuing to monitor the cleanup efforts and will consider appropriate enforcement action.
