Sewage Plant Passes Latest Y2K Test

Five months after a big sewage spill followed a Y2K readiness test in Van Nuys, a follow-up test was completed this week without any problems, officials said Friday.

On June 16, nearly 3 million gallons of raw sewage spilled into Woodley Avenue Park from the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant during a test.

The test involved switching the plant over to an emergency generator, which could be required if year 2000 computer problems cause a power outage in the city. A sewer main was mistakenly shut, causing sewage to back up and spill into the park.

In a test Wednesday night, the sewer main gate was secured manually into the open position so there was no spill when the plant switched to emergency power, said James Langley, assistant director of the city Sanitation Bureau.

“We’re in good shape for the new year,” Langley said Friday after the test data was analyzed.

The agency was criticized after the June test for a long delay in realizing that sewage was leaking into the park.

As a precaution, the city put spotters in the park Wednesday night so that they could alert the plant if a sewage leak occurred.

As for the computer problem that closed the sewage main, Langley said a new computer system is being installed that will solve that problem. Another test of the Tillman plant is scheduled for Dec. 3.

He said a similar test at the city’s Hyperion Treatment Plant has turned up a problem with the two emergency generators not working well in tandem, but that is being resolved and the plant should be ready for Jan. 1.