Water utilities report no issues amid massive flooding

Officials with the Department of Natural Resources say no utilities in Missouri have reported issues with water treatment as flooding continues to plague much of the state.

“We’re not seeing a lot of things out of the normal, but we’ve been dealing with flooding all of 2019 so this is becoming the new normal,” said Chris Wieberg, the director of the Water Protection Program in the department.

No utility, including Missouri American Water, has reported any flooding-related problem that’s affected its ability to clean and treat drinking water.

But the department’s infrastructure is stressed, and Wieberg said field teams are working to prevent routine problems from becoming more serious.

“A lot of manholes are being inundated by floodwaters, which, in turn, is causing untreated wastewater to spill out of the collection system,” Wieberg said. “Those incidents are being reported to (DNR).”

Mid-Missouri residents are advised to stay updated on boil advisories and other treatment-related information, as water levels are expected to remain in major flood stage for several days.

Water-related advisories are posted on the DNR website, and Wieberg said information is available by calling one of the department’s regional offices. People can also call the utility company for the latest information, Wieberg said.

The National Weather Service forecast predicts Jefferson City could remain flooded until June.