(ABC 6 News) – Plainview Milk Products Cooperative spilt an estimated 6,900 gallons of cream inside its facility, infiltrating the Plainview-Elgin Sanitary District wastewater treatment plant in April 2023, according to investigations from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).

According to the MPCA, the facility allowed the cream to drain through its wastewater and sewer systems, discharging 15 times the allowable daily discharge limit.

According to investigation, the facility reached three discharges of phosphorus and 11 times the allowable level of carbonaceous biological oxygen demand.

The incident effectively “overwhelmed the facility’s wastewater tank,” leading to the creamy wastewater to enter Plainview’s storm sewer system, according to the MPCA.

According to the MPCA, Plainview Milk Products Cooperative also failed to investigate and report to the MPCA, as is required.

In consequence, the company will pay a $20,000 penalty and be required to recover the cream water, review and revise release reporting and response procedures, submit a report on how Plainview Milk will prevent another unauthorized release (like those in 2023 and 2007) and revise the facility’s alarm system.