At 6:15 a.m. on May 17, 2025, operators at the CBJ Mendenhall Treatment Plant responded to a sudden gasoline spill that entered the plant and immediately disrupted wastewater treatment operations.  The severity of the spill prompted temporary evacuation of a portion of the treatment facility. Utility treatment operators worked quickly to isolate and contain the damage caused by this spill while other staff initiated an investigation into its origins in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), Spill Prevention and Response.

Gasoline in the CBJ sewer system poses significant risks to human health and infrastructure, interferes with the waste treatment process and jeopardizes our fisheries and environment.

While the CBJ Utility and ADEC investigates this issue, we would like to ask the Community’s assistance with any information relating to gasoline spills or discharges in the Mendenhall Valley, Lemon Creek and Salmon Creek areas.  If you witnessed or are aware of any fuel spills, leaking fuel tanks or pipes, or know of any other possible sources of fuels that may be discharging to our drainage and sewer systems, we ask that you please contact our joint investigation team immediately.

ADEC’s office of Spill Prevention and Recovery (SPAR) is coordinating our response and would like to receive your reports through their hazardous substance hotline:

• Call the DEC response team office toll-free at 1-800-478-9300
• Call international at 1-907-269-0667
• Report online at reportspills.alaska.gov

The CBJ Utility and the State of Alaska DEC thank you for your assistance with this matter.

Beginning this week, the City and Borough of Juneau Water Utility will begin flushing the water distribution system. Work is scheduled to begin downtown, working north to the hospital, crossing over to Douglas, then on to the Lemon Creek area, proceeding to the Valley, and then on out to the Tee Harbor area. This work will continue over the next two months.

Work will occur between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and will be tentatively completed by October 31.

Customers may encounter water discoloration or minor disruptions in service. To clear the discoloration, first wait until the work crew leaves the area, then run the cold water tap (preferably in your bathtub) until the water runs clear.

Please watch for crews working in the roadway, use caution, and obey traffic controls. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

For more information, contact CBJ Utilities Administration at (907) 586-0393. For after-hours emergencies call (907) 586-2165.

Please be aware that utility rates increased effective July 1. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly, in August of 2019 (Ord. 2019-31 & 2019-44), approved increases to both the water and sewer utility rates. The 2% rate increase will go into effect July 1. Find the new rates on the CBJ Utilities Division’s Current Utility Rates page at juneau.org/engineering-public-works/utilities-division/rates-flat.

Please expect these changes to your upcoming billing statements. All Bill-Pay customers will need to update their payment amount through their banking institution in order to stay current.

These increases help with inflationary cost increases. Revenue generated goes toward costs for operating and maintaining major water and wastewater infrastructure systems, debt financing from Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) loans, and capital projects directed at aging infrastructure or regulatory compliance. See relevant adopted ordinances and associated documents on the Historical Rate Information page.

For more information, contact the Utility Office at (907) 586-0898, extension 4201.