Broken Arrow Residents Upset After Line Break Dumps Raw Sewage Into Creek

The City of Broken Arrow had to dump raw sewage into a creek because of a line break at a sewage lift station. 

People who live near the creek said they are upset with the city and said they weren't given any sort of warning. 

Tammy Rolland said this part of Adams Creek near 61st and Evans Road is typically clear all the way to the bottom but isn't right now.

"We have livestock here, cows, horses. Our kids play out in the creek," Rolland said. 

The City of Broken Arrow Utilities Director Chuck Vokes said there was a leak in the main line out of Adams Creek Northwest Lift Station last Friday. He said they had to turn the station off while they repaired the leak. 

"As a result, we had an overflow into the creek. Once the overflow began, we started opening fire hydrants to flush the creek and dilute the wastewater that was going in there," he said. 

Vokes said the leak was repaired after several hours, and they are hoping to have an engineering firm look at the lift station. 

"I can understand why people would be upset by it, we're not happy with it too,” Vokes said. “We're going to use this as an opportunity to look at the station and see if there are ways to improve this.”

While it's been repaired, people in the area are still dealing with the smell of raw sewage. 

Rolland said this isn't the first time this has happened. 

“I wish something would be done to correct this issue, because it has happened, this is the third time, once in 2018 and 2019," she said. 

Rolland said she knows she doesn't want it to happen again. 

"Frustrated and angry, it's wrong on so many levels," she said. 

Vokes said they've used about six million gallons of water to flush out the creek.