STATEWIDE — Following heavy rainfall throughout central and southeast Iowa, the DNR encourages Iowans to stay out of streams until the waters recede. Heavy rain has inundated several areas and led to multiple wastewater discharges.

The DNR Field Offices in Des Moines and Washington were notified early this morning of wastewater bypasses in several counties in central and southeast Iowa. Currently, the department is unaware of impacts to municipal drinking water supplies or fish kills. DNR staff will continue to monitor these situations and assist impacted communities.

Heavy rainfall can overload wastewater collection systems and underground sewer pipes carrying sewage to a treatment plant. With sewage pipes overwhelmed, excess water has nowhere to go and can back up into basements through floor drains. Bypassing can lower the water level and alleviate pressure in the collection system, keeping sewage from backing up into basements, which could present health risks.

In Jefferson County, several inches fell in a short amount of time impacting the City of Mount Pleasant. The bypass is entering Saunders Branch with a discharge of approximately 500 gallons per minute from a lift station. Saunders Branch discharges into Big Creek to the south of town before the confluence with the Skunk River.

The city has two pumps in the area to attempt to reduce the amount of bypassed water entering Saunders Branch. Water samples are being collected in the area of the wastewater bypass. This is an ongoing discharge and is expected to last a couple days according to city staff. It is recommended the public avoids the impacted stretches of water.