Feb 4, 2008 2:58 pm US/Pacific
Raw Sewage Overflows In Sonoma Storm Drains
Sewer pipelines overflowed in three locations in Sonoma Saturday night and early Sunday morning, the Sonoma County Water Agency reported Monday.
The raw, untreated sewage entered storm drains that discharge to Sonoma and Agua Caliente creeks.
Water Agency spokesman Tim Anderson said an estimated 40,000 to 60,000 gallons flowed through a manhole at Bokman Place at Boyes Hot Springs and into the drain to Sonoma Creek Saturday. The flow was between 100 and 150 gallons a minute, Anderson said, and it was reported at 10:45 p.m.
Sewer system overflows also were reported at 3:15 a.m. Sunday in the Happy Lane area in Boyes Hot Springs and at the Rancho Vista Mobile Home Park at Fetters Hot Springs.
The Happy Lane overflow was estimated at 50 gallons per minute and the flow at the mobile home was about 10 gallons a minute, Anderson said.
The sewage entered storm drains that discharge to Sonoma Creek near Happy Lane and Agua Caliente Creek near Rancho Drive.
The flows ceased by 9 a.m. Sunday and water agency crews began cleaning and disinfecting the areas exposed to the raw sewage, Anderson said.
"Sewer collection system overflows have been an ongoing problem in the Sonoma area during periods of heavy rainfall as we had yesterday (Saturday) and last night," Anderson said.
Anderson said the old sewer pipes are susceptible to inflow and infiltration of rain during storms and cause flows larger than the system can accommodate.
The Water Agency is replacing the pipes in the months ahead and portions of the system were replaced last summer, Anderson said.
Environment & The Green Beat
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