Spill Reported At Concord Wastewater Treatment Plant: Watch

Concord NH

25 March, 2021

9:48 AM

Description

CONCORD, NH — Concord fire and rescue teams were sent to Concord's wastewater treatment plant on Thursday for a report of a spill and an employee getting splashed during the spill. Just after 9 a.m., fire dispatch received a report of some kind of incident, and firefighters and EMTs headed to the plant. While en route, firefighters learned 4,000-gallons of a 85 percent water-15 percent sodium hypochlorite mix had spilled. The employee was not injured but was splashed during the spill, dispatch said. Firefighters set up command when they arrived and found out from staffers at the treatment plant that the employee who was splashed had already left the plant to be evaluated. While there, one ambulance was called away for a report of an overdose in an apartment building on Green Street near Blake Street. The spill was contained but it was starting to seep through the containment, according to the battalion commander. Personnel could be seen treating areas outside of the buildings on the southeast side of the plant. The commander requested the New Hampshire Department of Environment Services be contacted, according to dispatch. Sodium hypochlorite is chlorine mixed with sodium hydroxide and is added, according to the city of Concord website, to the treated wastewater. Two tanks then have time for the treatment to kill bacteria, officials said online. Concord firefighters cleared the scene at 10:30 a.m. According to Stefanie Breton, a public information officer for the city of Concord, the mix was released after a valve failed. She said typical laundry bleach is about 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. About 150 gallons a day are used to disinfect wastewater at the plant, Breton said. A licensed contractor has been hired to clean up the site. "This is an unfortunate isolated incident that has been contained," Chip Chesley, the director of Concord General Services, said. "The city is working to resolve this as soon as possible." Got a news tip? Send it to [email protected]. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube.com channel or Rumble.com channel.