Water Pollution Control Division Update

CITY OF FLINT UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL DIVISION

For Immediate Release

SUBJECT: THIRD AVENUE PUMP STATION DISCHARGE

Starting 02/20/2022, at 1530(3:30pm) and ending 2/21/2022 at 1:00am, the City of Flint Water Pollution Control Facility started discharging a mixture of stormwater melt off and raw sewage from its Third Avenue Wastewater Pumping Station. This discharge is due equipment failure at the Beecher Rd facilities Northwest pump station. In order to fix the equipment failure at the Northwest station, the pumps at the Third Avenue pump station have to be turned off, causing it to discharge into the Flint River. As a precautionary measure required by law, the State of Michigan  Department of Environmental Quality and the Genesee County Health Department have been notified, as well as officials of Flint Township and Flushing.

The Genesee County Health Department recommends against body contact with the Flint River under high flow conditions, particularly downstream of the release, west of the Mill Road Bridge at Flushing Road. Large amounts of runoff and churning of the river sediments generally result in high bacterial levels in the river throughout high flow areas. Notification of the water sample test results will be made by postings on the State of Michigan website.

Please utilize your facilities to disseminate this information to the public as soon as possible for
the protection of the public.

We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

Jeanette Best, WPC Supervisor