Lightning Strikes Cause Sewage Pump Station Overflow

The sewage pump stations at Austin Run and Potomac Hills overflowed due to lightning strikes that disabled the flow transducers at both stations.  The pump transducers control the pumps that move effluent from the wells to the Aquia treatment center. The Austin Run station overflowed approximate 2.5 million gallons into Austin Run and Aquia Creek. The Potomac Hils station overflowed approximately 55,000 gallons into Aquia Creek.  The overflow volumes were higher than nornal because the telemetry system for these two stations malfunctioned and did not activate the station alarms.  The utilities plant operators were not aware of the overflow because the alarms did not activate.  The overflows were discovered when mechanics rebooted the telemetry system 2 days later.

The Austin Run station overflowed approximate 2.5 million gallons into Austin Run and Aquia Creek. The Potomac Hils station overflowed approximately 55,000 gallons into Aquia Creek.