The Long Beach Water Department says that a sewer pipeline was clogged and then spilled some 876 gallons of sewage into the storm drain system, and ultimately into the popular Colorado Lagoon, because the roots of a nearby tree clogged the pipeline. The lagoon has been closed since the spill on Tuesday and tests are being conducted to determine when it will be reopened.
Investigators also found illegally dumped materials that contributed to the blockage, and Water Department Director of Government Affairs Matthew Veeh said that while those materials didn’t cause the spill this time, they certainly can if residents continue to dump things into storm systems.
“We think it’s important that residents understand that dumping unauthorized materials into our city sewer system is not only illegal, but can lead to costly overflows that have negative impacts on general health and welfare,” Veeh wrote in an e-mail.
In the past, blockages have been caused by the illegal dumping of grease that slowly builds up and causes sewage overflows.