Fire at Kentucky Water Treatment Plant Leads to Sewage Spill in Ohio River

More than 100 million gallons of untreated sewage spilled into the Ohio River in southern Louisville, Ky., after a fire disabled a water treatment plant last week.

Metropolitan Sewer District spokesman Steve Tedder told The Courier-Journal crews were able to restore chlorination but it could be two weeks before the plant is fully operational again. In the meantime, they want the public to avoid contact with the river in that area.

The plant is designed to treat 120 million gallons of sewage a day during dry weather and up to 350 million gallons a day during rainy weather.

Tedder said the district reported the spill to state and federal regulators.

Officials are investigating whether lightning could have caused the fire that knocked out power there for hours.