By Allison Peck | Sandhills Post
OGALLALA — A lift station failure on Ogallala’s south side last week led to emergency repairs and a temporary, contained discharge into a nearby river, city officials said.
City Manager Kevin Wilkins reported that both pump motors at the lift station failed, causing roughly 200,000 gallons of wastewater to overflow into a low-lying pocket near the dry riverbed. The pumps, originally installed in 2019, were likely undersized for the job, leading to the failure. Alarms designed to alert the city of malfunctions also failed, delaying notification until a property owner noticed the issue.
Emergency crews immediately mobilized vac trucks to transport wastewater while city engineers assessed the damage and implemented temporary fixes. “We pumped a combination of solids and liquids into a depression in the river bottom to minimize impact,” Wilkins said. Officials estimate less than 20,000 gallons of treated effluent entered the river, with no significant impact expected on human health or wildlife.
The repair process is expected to cost approximately $200,000, Wilkins said, and the city is reviewing the lift station’s equipment and alarm systems to prevent future failures.
“This was a contained incident, and we acted quickly to protect property and the environment,” Wilkins said. “We’ll continue monitoring and addressing the remaining mechanical issues at the station.”