Met Council staff are monitoring conditions across the sanitary sewer system and at the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant today, after yesterday’s explosion on the University of Minnesota campus. It is a stark reminder that the only thing that should go down the sewer besides human waste is toilet paper.
We are warning residents, businesses, and industries not to put gas or other flammable materials down the sewer.
Crews from our Environmental Services team were on the scene of the explosion yesterday to help assess what caused the explosion and the source of what is believed to be a release of gasoline into the sanitary sewer system.
City and regional sanitary sewers are both located in the vicinity of the explosion. Officials say the city sanitary sewer is about 15 to 20 feet below ground and the regional sanitary sewer interceptor pipe is about 70 feet down. At one point the sewage flow merges and makes its way to the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant in Saint Paul.
We continue to investigate and will coordinate with the state and local officials.
Residents are further advised when they smell gas odors to call 9-1-1.
What Not to Flush