City of Caldwell Addresses Sanitary Sewer Overflow

Published on January 26, 2026

The City of Caldwell responded to a sanitary sewer overflow reported on January 22 at the corner on Denton St and Ashton Ave.

At approximately 6:25 p.m., the City’s on-call operator received a report from a homeowner regarding sewer bubbling from a manhole. City of Caldwell crews were dispatched and arrived on site shortly thereafter to assess the situation. Normal sewer flow was fully restored by 7:20 p.m.

City staff later identified that a small amount of wastewater had entered a storm drain catch basin and flowed toward an irrigation ditch. The estimated discharge was approximately five to seven gallons over a period of at least one hour. The area was promptly secured, documented, and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected by City crews. Southwest District Health has been notified, and its environmental health team determined that there is no risk to human health at this time.

Further investigation using closed-circuit television (CCTV) determined that the overflow was caused by a cross-bore through the sewer main by a contractor working in the area, which created a blockage in the main line. Environmental sampling was conducted at multiple locations, including the point of discharge, upstream and downstream areas, and at the Indian Creek confluence. All samples were delivered to a laboratory for analysis.

Cleanup activities were completed by 11:15 p.m., and no further impacts were observed.

The City is currently awaiting sample results that are expected later tonight, and additional samples are being collected today as a precaution. An update will be released on Monday once results are received and reviewed.

The City takes incidents of this nature seriously and responds immediately to protect public health and the environment. The City will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate corrective actions as needed.