Newport City issues new safety measures after another sludge discharge incident

NEWPORT –– Newport City authorities are responding to two recent discharges of untreated sludge at the Newport City Wastewater Treatment Plant with new safety protocols designed to prevent future incidents. The latest spill earlier this week prompted swift action and a public warning from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.

“We are extremely disappointed that this is the second time that mud has been released into the Clyde River – the first occurred just two months ago,” said Mayor Linda Joy Sullivan.

The most recent incident involved an unattended valve that was left open during a sludge transfer, causing an estimated 10,000 gallons of untreated sludge to spill. This spill occurred when a city employee was called away during the transfer process, and the situation went unnoticed for about 30 minutes. The incident is similar to a previous spill a few weeks earlier caused by the same problem.

Jason Herman, the plant’s main operator, confirmed that these incidents are becoming more common and emphasized the city’s efforts to prevent further incidents. The city has begun removing silt from a ditch using a pump truck and has issued a public warning not to swim in the affected water as a precaution.

Mayor Sullivan also expressed concern about the repeated incidents.

“We don’t know all the facts yet, but we will soon. Initial indications suggest that this was again a human error related to a shut-off valve. We are working with the state’s environmental authorities to determine the cause and clean up the oil spill,” she said.

City Manager Jonathan DeLaBruere has proposed purchasing an alarm system and an automatic valve to solve the problem. The estimated cost is $30,000. However, the City Council has not yet reviewed approvals for the contracts for the valve or funding. This will be addressed at next Monday’s council meeting, where a full discussion is planned.

Until the new systems are installed, Herman has instructed his employees not to leave valves open unattended. The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has also asked Herman to draft a formal procedure detailing the plant’s operating protocols.

“Personally, this is very concerning to me after a leak occurred just 8 weeks ago,” Sullivan added. “The City Council will review whether the City’s internal procedures and training are sufficient to adequately prevent a reoccurrence. If not, changes will be made.”

Mayor Sullivan spoke with the Vermont Environmental Protection Commissioner about appropriate initial steps for compliance and training. This discussion has been placed on the agenda for the next Council meeting. In addition, the Mayor and Council President Chris Vachon plan to hold a community forum to update the public on these issues.

Despite the recent incidents, DeLaBruere stated that no disciplinary action would be taken against the employees involved, but he stressed the importance of addressing these issues to prevent future incidents.

“As we all know, our community is highly dependent on the quality of our waterways and natural resources, and this recent incident requires a thorough and immediate investigation,” Sullivan stressed. “We need to know, among other things, whether our internal systems are inadequate and whether we are giving the appropriate priority to protecting our natural resources.”

While investigations are ongoing to determine the exact amount of sludge released and whether any of it reached the Clyde River, the City of Newport is making implementing these new safety measures a top priority to protect its residents and the environment.