40,000 Gallons Of Diluted Of Sewage Spilled Into Richardson Bay
KTVU
01/19/2010
SAUSALITO, Calif. -- An estimated 40,000 gallons of diluted, untreated sewage flowed out of a ruptured sewer line under Liberty Ship Way before the leak was fixed, Sausalito-Marin City Sanitation District general manager Bob Simmons said Tuesday afternoon.
The 14-inch diameter sewer line was punctured when a construction crew that was installing a high-speed Internet cable in the area of Liberty Ship Way and Marinship Avenue for an office building drilled through the main force line in the fall, Simmons said.
"We met with them at the time and told them where the main line was. They barely missed a gas line," Simmons said this afternoon.
The sanitary district hopes to recover the costs of the repairs from the construction company, Simmons said. He did not recall the name of the company installing the communications cable.
That portion of the sewage line is used only during heavy flows from storms and had not been used since October, Simmons said.
The district was notified of the leak at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Simmons said.
"We weren't sure what was broken. The leak was coming through cracks in the pavement," Simmons said. The system was shut down at 1:45 p.m. and the leak was fixed with clamps and sealed at 7:30 p.m., he said. The pipe will be replaced after the rainy season, Simmons said.
