More than 10,000 gallons of sewage spill in San Luis Obispo

August 16, 2022

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A water main break near an open sewer line resulted in more than 10,000 gallons of water and sewage combined flowing into a creek in San Luis Obispo on Monday.

The 11-inch potable water main broke near Broad Street and Ramona Drive. At the time, a sewer line was under construction in the area, according to the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department.

Potable water entered a section of the exposed and open sewer line. A mixture of potable water and sewage then overflowed and entered Garden Creek, a tributary of San Luis Obispo Creek.

The volume of water and sewage that overflowed is in excess of 10,000 gallons, but officials have yet to determine the exact amount. County public health officials are advising residents to avoid water contact in Garden Creek.

Authorities closed the intersection of Broad Street and Ramona Drive, as well as Broad Street down to Murray Avenue. Crews worked overnight to repair the water line, according to the city of San Luis Obispo.

Health officials will take water samples from the mouth of San Luis Creek. Until test results indicate water quality is not impacted, there will be closure signs posted at the beach near the mouth of San Luis Creek.


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So much for all the ballyhoo about the city’s admonitions to conserve water. That water and sewage entered Old Garden Creek right by my house and blew the manhole cover out to the street. This is Phase One of vandalizing the historic Anholm neighborhood. Phase Two will be the dangerous Anholm Bikeway…


10,000 gallons is a “placeholder” number. Old Garden Creek flowed like in winter for many hours — the gallonage was many times 10K. The intersection at Broad and Murray was flooded with sewage for several hours. Thanks CCN for getting the basic story correct, something KSBY didn’t, and Fibune hasn’t even tried to do.


Note Public Health’s concern with Avila. What about all the people between the spill and Avila? We’re potentially exposed to much higher quantities and concentrations of sewage-borne disease. Public Health has abdicated responsibility for us. Shame on them.


Oh crap, pay the fine and add it to the rate payer’s increase. This is just the cost of doing cities and we know how much more your property values go up with growth. You are selling and leaving, right? California is no longer stagnant resident friendly as you know that stagnant (stable dwellers) are not in the design plan for our future.