PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — UPDATE: New information indicates that vandals are responsible for a massive sewage leak.
Previously, a 30,000 gallon leak was reported in Portage. It seeped into the West Fork of Portage Creek. The sewage system in question was on a private property, and therefore not maintained by the City of Kalamazoo.
Since then, MLive issued a FOIA request regarding the incident. City officials confirmed that the property was Candlewyck Apartments. Kalamazoo Public Services Director James Baker also confirmed that the leak was a result of vandalism.
Baker said that the vandals entered several manholes and filled them with railroad ties, which is what caused the blockage.
No arrests have been made in the matter, and city officials are unsure of when the vandalism took place.
Normal flow conditions in the private sanitary sewer were restored and the impacted area was remediated once the overflow was reported.
As required by law, Water Reclamation Plant personnel also notified the Michigan Department of Environmental, Great Lakes and Energy at the Kalamazoo District Office and the Kalamazoo County Environmental Health Unit about the spill.
