Photo by Alice Nalepka
When a contractor busted a pipe near White Rock Creek and George Bush Turnpike, spilling over one million gallons of sewage into the creek late Wednesday night, the City of Dallas closed activities on White Rock Lake for the weekend.
But according to the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) and the Dallas Park Department, the sewage only made it to Katie Jackson Park, less than a mile from the original spill. The sewage is contained and remains over 10 miles from White Rock Lake.
NTMWD contacted Dallas Water Utilities to use their wastewater collection system to pump contaminated water from the creek, but they are not sure if the system has the capacity. If it does, portable pumps will be deployed to pump the sewage.
City staff is also working on a location in North Dallas where NTMWD can access White Rock Creek to suck out the contaminated water with vacuum trucks.
The White Rock Dog Park will remain open, but the dog launch is still closed. The Park Department says that neighbors should use antibacterial wipes and/or hand sanitizer if they contact the water.
