Water Plant Workers Charged After Raw Sewage Leaks Into Creek

Situated just northwest of Oklahoma City, the Bethany-Warr Acres Water Treatment Plant was recently the scene of a crime – that is, according to Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna who has filed charges against two former employees.

The water treatment plant handles three million gallons of raw sewage a day, and the County alleges that 55-year-old Anthony Menzie and 63-year-old Glenn Brentnell committed multiple felonies in willfully allowing waste to leak into a nearby creek.

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According to reports, regulators responded to a complaint in 2022, where they discovered improperly treated and raw wastewater had been pooling near the plant and then flowing into nearby Bluff Creek.

Witnesses pointed to the two suspects, and Menzie reportedly admitted to falsifying lab records in order to downplay fecal contamination levels – something he says he was instructed to do by Brentnell, the plant manager.

A report in The Oklahoman points to ongoing problems with the facility between 2020 and 2022, including non-compliance as well as problems with the wastewater management system. These issues led to at least four notices to be issued to the facility. 

The state’s Department of Environmental Quality alleges in court documents that, after an emergency order was issued, the agency learned that there were no personnel onsite at the facility and that the doors were locked.

Shortly thereafter, in late 2022, Brentnell is said to have “abruptly retired” though the suit says he claimed "the issues in the … notices were minor." 

A separate investigation by a public trust disagreed, instead finding plant equipment that was neglected and in a state of disrepair. They suggest it was these issues that led to the discharge of wastewater into Bluff Creek and subsequent coverup.

While local authorities hope to see Menzie and Brentnell face the music, they also stress that the problems are being addressed.  Regulators say the situation at the plant has improved, and the facility is on its way to getting back in compliance.

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WEBVTTX-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:000:00.159 --> 00:05.519Situated just northwest of Oklahoma City, theBethany War Acres water treatment plant was00:05.519 --> 00:07.519recently the scene of a crime.00:08.029 --> 00:11.979That is according to Oklahoma County DistrictAttorney Vicky Behina,00:12.229 --> 00:15.270who has filed charges against two formeremployees.00:15.390 --> 00:19.219The water treatment plant handles 3 milliongallons of raw sewage a day,00:19.469 --> 00:25.899and the county alleges that 55-year-old AnthonyMenzie and 63-year-old Glenn Brentnell00:25.899 --> 00:31.559committed multiple felonies in willfullyallowing waste to leak into a nearby creek.00:31.790 --> 00:34.400According to reports, regulators responded to acomplaint in.00:34.796 --> 00:40.91622, where they discovered improperly treatedand raw wastewater had been pooling near the00:40.916 --> 00:46.476plant and then flowing into nearby Bluff Creek.Witnesses pointed to the two suspects and00:46.476 --> 00:51.265Menzie reportedly admitted to falsifying labrecords in order to downplay fecal00:51.265 --> 00:55.566contamination levels, something he says he wasinstructed to do by Brent Nell,00:55.826 --> 00:59.276the plant manager.A report in the Oklahoman points to ongoing00:59.276 --> 01:02.872problems with the facility between 20.In 2022,01:03.361 --> 01:07.832including noncompliance as well as problemswith the wastewater management system.01:08.001 --> 01:11.671These issues led to at least 4 notices to beissued to the facility.01:11.842 --> 01:15.961The state's Department of Environmental Qualityalleges in court documents that after an01:15.961 --> 01:20.882emergency order was issued, the agency learnedthat there were no personnel on site at the01:20.882 --> 01:23.882facility and that the doors were locked.Shortly thereafter,01:23.961 --> 01:27.882in late 2022, Bretnell is said to have abruptlyretired.01:28.150 --> 01:31.970Though the suit says he claimed the issues inthe notices were minor,01:32.089 --> 01:35.580a separate investigation by a public trustdisagreed.01:35.699 --> 01:40.250They suggest it was these issues that led tothe discharge of waste water into Bluff Creek01:40.250 --> 01:41.690and the subsequent cover up.01:41.940 --> 01:44.980While local authorities hope to see Menzie andBrentnell face the music,01:45.059 --> 01:47.769they also stress that the problems are beingaddressed.01:48.059 --> 01:53.059Regulators say the situation at the plant hasimproved, and the facility is on its way to01:53.059 --> 01:55.029getting back in compliance.01:55.379 --> 01:57.569I'm Anna Wells, and this is Manufacturing now.