Due to Mother Nature dumping at least 10 inches of rainfall on most of the west-central Missouri area in late June, Salt Fork Creek spilled over its banks, and shut down the Marshall Municipal Utilities’ wastewater treatment plant for a day or so. Because of the high water levels, numerous structures suffered damage in Saline County.

During the meeting of the MMU Board of Public Works on Thursday, July 15, General Manager Jeff Bergstrom gave an update on the county’s attempt to get declared a disaster area. He said Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency representatives toured the wastewater treatment plant on July 8.

Bergstrom said it’s a wait-and-see situation.

According to notes provided by Bergstrom, initial estimates provided to FEMA by MMU staff place the amount of damage at approximately $400,000. Bergstrom says this is an early estimate and likely to change.

Bergstrom adds, “To qualify for funding assistance, a disaster declaration will have to be made at both the state and national levels for our area. The amount of damage in our area (county, city, etc.) will determine if a disaster is declared.”

Photo: Some of the flooding at the wastewater treatment plant. (Photo provided by MMU)