NEWBURG, Md. (Jan. 27, 2010) - The Charles County Health Department reported that an accidental sewage overflow occurred at the main pump station serving the Swan Point Waste Water Treatment Plant in Newburg last Saturday.
According to the Department of Utilities, the pump station problem was a result of a failure in a circuit board controlling the station’s pumps, which resulted in the overflow. The overflow entered into a tributary to Matthews Cove near the Swan Point golf course. Initial investigation by the Department’s staff indicates that, based on station records, the volume of raw sewage discharge may be as high as 90,000 gallons.
The Department of Utilities staff discovered the overflow to the station at approximately 2:00 p.m. on January 23 and immediately called for a sewer pump truck to be dispatched to the location and by 4:45 p.m. the overflow was stopped.
The Department of Utilities indicated that no homes were affected, and the pump station has been repaired and is again pumping correctly.
The Department of Utilities said they would sample the affected waters both upstream and downstream of the overflow.