Sewage system near Reece Creek is back to normal operations

KILLEEN, Texas (KWTX) - The City of Killeen has contained a sewage leak at Reece Creek caused by the rupture of a domestic force main pipe Monday.

The system was back to normal just before 9 a.m. June 7 as staff monitored air relief valves along the force main after a pump at the lift station was turned on, and the valves were releasing the air out of the force main as they are designed to do. The manhole near the repair site that was overflowing stopped overflowing by TTG Construction.

Crews originally responded at 5:30 p.m. June 5 and conducted a thorough inspection in the area southeast of Texas A&M Central Texas, which is adjacent to Reece Creek where the sewage was entering.

The city said the leak was caused by a rupture of a domestic force main pipe and urged residents to avoid swimming or fishing in Reece’s Creek until further notice. However, some Killeen residents near Reese’s Creek say that more needs to be done about the leak by the city.

“We bought this, this is our dream home. We sit down here and watch the wildlife and now it has become a public sewer. They have failed the citizens, published statements that aren’t true. And all we ask for is transparency and honesty from public officials and people running their utilities and we haven’t had that,” said Michael White.

The Environmental Team notified 50 property owners who have water wells adjacent to the creek.TTG is scheduled to complete final backfilling and cleanup by the end of the day.

“The Environmental Team, with help from the City’s Mowing and Drainage division, will continue sampling water in the creek at the selected sites and will monitor the stretch of the creek looking for any adverse impacts to wildlife,” said Janell J. Lewis Ford, Killeen’s Spokeswoman.

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