BP says working to fix Whiting refinery wastewater malfunction

HOUSTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - BP Plc is working to stop a malfunction at the wastewater treatment plant of its Whiting, Indiana refinery, which allowed greater-than-permitted amounts of industrial waste to go into Lake Michigan since last Friday, a company spokesman said on Wednesday.

"BP has notified the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) that this upset has resulted in exceedances of BP's daily permit limit for total suspended solids," said BP spokesman Michael Abendhoff. "This is a wastewater issue; there has been no leak or discharge of any hydrocarbons into Lake Michigan."

The suspended solids are industrial waste particles that are supposed to be filtered out of wastewater before it is dumped into the lake.

The Northwest Indiana Times newspaper reported BP had discharged a total of 26,621 pounds of industrial waste particles, or five times its daily limit, on Tuesday.

IDEM told the newspaper the discharges should not affect drinking water or marine life. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Bill Rigby)