US Steel shuts down Indiana plant after wastewater discharge
U.S. Steel temporarily shuttered operations at a northwest Indiana plant Monday after it leaked an orange substance into a Lake Michigan tributary, prompting the closure of a water treatment facility and several nearby beaches.
The U.S. Steel Midwest plant in Portage has been idled as a precaution “after experiencing an upset condition with the finishing line wastewater treatment plant,” U.S. Steel spokeswoman Amanda Malkowski said in a statement.
“The plant operations will remain down until the condition is stabilized. This upset is currently believed to be the cause of the discolored water seen coming from one of our outfalls,” she said.
Initial indications “show higher than normal suspended solids in the water” Malkowski said.