Sanitary Sewage Release Advisory (this is not a Combined Sewer Overflow [CSO] Advisory)

(August 29) – Crews responded yesterday to a sewage release from a city manhole on the 8400 block of SE 134th Drive. The release was the second from this location within the week.

Crews cleared a blockage of grease and are continuing their investigation and assessment of measures to prevent a recurrence.

An estimated 1,750 gallons of sewage flowed down the residential street and to a storm drain that led to a detention pond at SE 138th & SE Deardorff Road. The release began around 5:15 p.m. yesterday and crews stopped it at 5:50 p.m/  Crews are cleaning up the area and no other water body is affected.

On August 23, crews cleaned up an overflow of 3,000 gallons from the same location.

The City has placed caution signs along Deardorf Road and at the impacted property on SE 134th. The public is advised to obey the warning signs in the area.

The City of Portland treats an average of 70 million gallons of wastewater each day. Over one-third of Portland’s more than 2,500 miles of sewer pipes are over 80 years old. Pipes that fail or become blocked with grease, tree roots, wipes and other debris are the most common causes of sewage overflows.

This sewage release is not related to Portland’s combined sewer overflow control system, which prevents overflows of stormwater and sewage to the Willamette River and Columbia Slough during rainy periods.

The Bureau of Environmental Services provides city residents with programs to protect water quality and public health, including wastewater collection and treatment, sewer construction and maintenance, stormwater management, and stream and watershed restoration. www.portlandoregon.gov/bes and @BESPortland.

Media contact: Diane Dulken 503-457-7636 diane.dulken@portlandoregon.gov