Sebeka treatment pond springs leak
Written by REBECCA KOMPPA   

The northwest secondary pond at Sebeka's wastewater treatment plant has developed leak. Public Works employee shut the pond down until repairs can be made next summer. There are six ponds altogether at the treatment plant.
At their Tuesday, December 8 meeting, the Sebeka City Council heard from Public Works Super­visor Tom Hoppe that one of the city’s wastewater treatment ponds has a leak. The leak was discovered Satur­day, Dec. 5, by adjacent landowner Calvin Redetzke, who noticed six to eight inches of water bubbling out of the ground while he was out for a walk. The leak was traced to the northwest secondary pond.

Public Works employee Blaine Backes was on call Saturday when the leak was discovered. He called Hoppe, and action was taken immediately to lower the water level in the pond. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) was notified on Saturday, along with Mayor David Anderson, who toured the site that day. Since that time, the water in the pond has been discharged and that pond is now out of commission.

Hoppe reported that two discharges from the ponds were done earlier this fall because of the steady rains, and that there was enough capacity in the remaining secondary pond (the treatment plant has two secondary ponds) to service the community until spring.

The MPCA visited the site on Monday, Dec. 7 and recommended that city engineer Jon Pratt of Ulteig Engineering be notified. As of the Dec. 8 council meeting, Pratt had not yet made an inspection of the pond. His report is expected at the next meeting on Dec. 15. He has already indicated that the cost to repair the pond could be costly. The ponds were built in 1976.

City Clerk/Treasurer Sally Sandberg stated that she contacted the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust to see if Sebeka has coverage for the pond leak. She was still waiting for a response.