Public works reports sewer-line failure drained eastern basin temporarily; crews stabilized bank and plan repairs

Public Works told the Riverfront Redevelopment Authority on June 16 that a failed plug on a 48-inch sewer line briefly drained the eastern basin of the Oklahoma River and prompted emergency stabilization work.

“Since this report was made, that plug failed on Sunday and began draining the river into that 48 inch line. So, we had to lower the eastern basin to prevent the water from just flushing into the sewer line,” Frank Manning, Facilities Manager for Public Works, said. He said crews had the situation under control by about 2 p.m. Sunday and have been working to restabilize the bank since.

Manning described erosion at the MacArthur sediment basin and showed repair photos; crews refilled and reestablished the bank line to prevent loss of a backwater pond. He said the erosion threatened a pedestrian bridge over a tributary and that staff aimed to restabilize the area within a day, with hopes of raising gates and recapturing water by Thursday evening contingent on repairs and an expected rain event.

Manning also outlined ongoing maintenance: sonar surveys to identify sediment accumulation, a hydraulic dredging program to restore as-built flow-line elevations, vegetation management and a service agreement (project MCO776) with Taigga to provide on-call electrical repairs and updated lightning protection to SCADA poles.

Trustees asked about the sewer line’s location and mitigation options; staff said the failing 48-inch line runs by the Whitewater Center and discussed options including sheet piles, pump-around strategies and coordinating gate elevations with river-boat operations to allow repairs while preserving navigability.

No formal vote or contract approval related to the sewer repair was recorded in the transcript; trustees were updated on operations and next steps.