By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.
A tripped breaker turned one of Rio Rancho’s busiest intersections into an unscheduled flushing station Wednesday. Sewage bubbled up from a manhole near the Walgreens at NM 528 and Southern Boulevard and spread across the pavement.
A power surge tripped a circuit breaker at a nearby wastewater lift station and knocked it offline, according to the City of Rio Rancho. The backup forced wastewater out through the manhole.
The overflow ran into nearby storm drains that feed a city stormwater detention basin. City officials said the spill stayed contained to the stormwater pipe and the basin.
Crews responded Wednesday evening. They removed wastewater and debris and disinfected the area.
Crews returned Thursday to finish the job. They flushed the storm drains, vacuumed material out of the detention basin and applied more disinfectant. The city said it fixed the problem and the lift station went back to normal operation Wednesday night.
Spot a sewer overflow or backup?
- Report it to City of Rio Rancho Utilities: (505) 891-5020
- Online: rrnm.gov/2703/Report-Rio-Rancho