South County spills release 13,000 gallons of sewage into ocean
Thousands of gallons of sewage have been released into the ocean in Pismo Beach and Oceano, and health officials are warning the public to stay out of creeks and ocean waters in the area.
Between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, about 8,000 gallons of sewage were released from a manhole at Ocean Boulevard and Morro Avenue, near Edlwayen Ocean Park in Pismo Beach, the San Luis Obispo Public Health Department said in a news release.
The sewage entered a storm drain that leads directly into the ocean, and was the result of heavy rains “overwhelming the lift station,” health officials said. The leak stopped when the rain subsided, the release said.
About 5,000 gallons of treated wastewater were released between 4:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Tuesday from the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District wastewater treatment plant at 1600 Aloha Place in Oceano, the county Public Health Department said.
“The release has since stopped and measures have been put in place to inhibit further release of treated wastewater while a repair is being made,” health officials said in the release. “The cause of the release is currently being investigated.”
The Oceano sewage spill impacted Meadow Creek, Arroyo Grande Creek and Oceano Beach about 571 yards south of Pier Avenue, the release said.
“The Public Health Department advises staying out of the ocean at the areas of Ocean Boulevard at Morro Avenue in Pismo Beach (Eldwayen Ocean Park) and Oceano Beach in the area of the Arroyo Grande Creek outfall following the releases,” the department said.
The public is asked to avoid water contact activities for 72 hours following significant rain events.
Signs will be posted at the beach, health officials say, noting that Meadow Creek and Arroyo Grande Creek are difficult for the public to access.
The spills come about a day after another significant sewage release in San Luis Obispo County.
A spill in San Luis Obispo that began Sunday night and continued into Monday released 25,000 gallons of raw sewage due to a blockage in the piping. That spill also flowed into the ocean, and health officials asked the public to stay out of the water at Avila Beach.
This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 9:19 AM.
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