Sewage Plant Leaking In Yellowstone

A 50-year-old sewage plant in Yellowstone National Park has spilled millions of gallons of partially treated sewage over the past three years, and maintenance officials say it needs to be replaced.

Chief of Maintenance Tim Hudson said ground water samples near Old Faithful are beginning to show signs of contamination.

And officials are concerned that nutrients will eventually contaminate surface water, most likely causing an algal bloom within a mile of the Old Faithful Lodge.

Hudson said the plant probably won’t suffer a cataclysmic breakdown, but a worst-case scenario could lead the park to close down Old Faithful’s toilet facilities.

The leaking plant forced the closure of one comfort station three years ago and the park has no plans to reopen it.

Officials attribute the sewage plant’s problems to “simple age.” Hudson said he hopes the park will find the $5 million needed to replace the system before the Old Faithful plant violates Wyoming state water standards.

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality gave the park until Sept. 30 to outline a plan for fixing or replacing the plant, said Jeff Hermanski.