Topeka staff say Oakland wastewater building closed for remediation after overflow; testing finds elevated mold and bacteria but no firm link to employee cases
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Summary
City officials reported elevated fungal and bacterial levels in several aging buildings at the Oakland Wastewater Treatment Plant after a Dec. 6 sewer overflow. Staff closed the U Building pending remediation; outside consultants and directors said results point to chronic moisture and maintenance gaps rather than a single spill as the definitive cause of employee illnesses.
The Topeka City Council heard a detailed briefing on April 14 about a Dec. 6 sanitary sewer overflow at the Oakland Wastewater Treatment Plant and subsequent testing after several employees sought treatment for respiratory illness.
Utilities Director Sylvia Davis told the council the city called Chavez Restoration to perform emergency mitigation after the overflow, then later closed the U Building as a precaution and relocated staff while it pursued further testing and remediation. "U Building has been closed and will stay closed indefinitely," staff said during the presentation.
Jason Tryon, director of public works, summarized results collected by environmental contractors: visual inspections, internal and external air sampling for fungal spores, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) surface screening and targeted air and surface bacterial sampling. "We did see elevated fungal levels in multiple buildings, including HVAC systems," Tryon said, and the team found elevated ATP and bacterial readings in areas that correlated with moisture and aging building fabric.
The city engaged an independent consultant, Glenn Robinson of Acxiom Service Professionals, to review the cleanup and testing. Robinson said his testing found both evidence of successful surface restoration in the immediate cleaned areas and broader signs of long-term moisture-related colonization in the older buildings. "We're seeing some bacterias that are potentially antibiotic resistant," he told the council.
Council members pressed staff about the report's conclusions and the city’s decision-making after Chavez offered additional remediation services. Council member Valdivia Alcala noted the city-sponsored clinic had treated five employees with "an advanced respiratory illness" in late January and asked why the testing was described as not showing a direct causal link to those illnesses. Staff and consultants responded that the testing shows elevated organism counts in multiple buildings and that the patterns are consistent with chronic age-and-moisture problems rather than only the December overflow. "The results do indicate long term issues due to age and condition of these buildings," Tryon said.
City staff described immediate follow-up steps: secure and restrict access to affected spaces, complete scheduled remediation of C Building next week, continue additional dehumidification and HVAC work where needed, increase cleaning regimens, expand employee PPE and training, and partner with the Kansas Department of Labor industrial safety and health division on PPE and hygiene standards. Staff also said the city will pursue testing of other older facilities to establish a broader baseline.
The council debated the scope of remediation Chavez had recommended and whether the city had properly authorized the contractor's waiver of certain services. Staff said legal advised that the city manager should sign any such waivers but acknowledged a frontline supervisor signed a liability form during the field interaction and that the city is reviewing chain-of-command questions.
The mayor urged employees with health concerns to obtain medical testing and to bring findings to the city for follow up. City leaders said they will continue to coordinate with KDHE, the Department of Labor, and independent consultants and will provide additional public updates as remediation and monitoring proceed.
Provenance: Topics introduced SEG 871; discussion and Q&A through SEG 2280.
