The Kansas Department of Health and Environment this afternoon issued an health advisory for Shunganunga Creek in the City of Topeka. Contact and non-contact recreation in the creek is strongly discouraged. The department issued the advisory after learning that 130,000 gallons of wastewater treatment sludge overflowed at the Sherwood Regional wastewater treatment facility near 29th and Wanamaker. It's known a portion of the sludge reached the creek. The plant is owned by Shawnee County and operated by the City of Topeka.
Information received by the department indicates a pump was left on last night at the plant.
The pump feeds a digester tank that overflowed into the creek. The creek passes through residential areas and is bordered by the Shunganunga Trail through the city. Persons should stay out of the creek and also keep pets out of the water. KDHE staff are monitoring the creek and collecting water samples for analysis.