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Vapor Pours Out of Leak at Lewiston Pulp Plant by Associated Press Seattle Times - October 26, 2002

LEWISTON (AP) -- Potlatch Corp. shut down a pipe that discharges wastewater into the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers after a leak was reported.

The leak Thursday turned out to be nothing more than the release of air, vapor and a small amount of liquid from a vacuum valve attached to the company's wastewater pipe.

When officials refilled the pipe, which had been empty since Tuesday because of another leak at the company's Lewiston mill, air and liquid were released.

Company officials did not know how much of its treated effluent leaked Tuesday, but said it was at least 40,000 gallons. The underground leak was discovered when monitors revealed a pressure loss in the pipe that delivers water from its waste treatment facility to the confluence.