The City of Auxvasse is asking residents to approve a 5-million dollar bond issue to help fund projects related to the city’s water and sewer systems. One of the problems the city is looking to solve with the money is groundwater leaking into sewer lines to cut costs and prevent more serious problems. Missouri Department of Natural Resources spokeswoman Renee Bungart says that in general, infiltration of storm and ground water into a wastewater collection system can cause overflows. She says overflows can cause violations of state and federal clean water laws as well as health concerns.
“If there’s a burden on a wastewater treatment plant from a sewage overflow and all of that wastewater is not properly treated, and it enters waters of the state there can be a problem with, you know, reducing the water quality,” Bungart said.
Bungart also says the leaks can burden the sewer systems enough to increase operation costs for a city.