SELINSGROVE – About a million gallons of sewage flow daily through a 20-inch-thick pipe that burst over the weekend, releasing sewage into Penns Creek, which flows into Middle Creek and the Susquehanna River.
Officials with the Eastern Snyder County Regional Authority (ESCRA) were notified of the broken pipe on Sunday morning.
Derick Shambach, director of the Snyder County Emergency Management Agency, reported on the amount of sewage flowing through the pipe.
At around 10 p.m. on Sunday, a temporary collar was installed to prevent sewage from entering the waterways until a new pipe arrives and is installed on Wednesday.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's emergency response team and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission arrived on the scene Sunday. The Department of Environmental Protection will continue to work with ESCRA to ensure cleanup is completed as quickly as possible, state officials said.
There are no surface water intakes for public drinking water in the affected area and drinking water systems downstream of the incident have been notified. Public drinking water supplies are safe and can continue to be used.
DEP recommends that the public avoid direct contact with affected waterways, including the Susquehanna River 20 miles downstream from Selinsgrove to the Liverpool area in Perry County. This recommendation includes refraining from recreational activities such as fishing, boating, swimming and wading.
The DEP did not respond to media inquiries Monday about the sewer pipe break and its impact on waterways.
The Snyder County Emergency Management Agency is recommending that customers limit use of their sewer systems if possible until repairs are completed. This applies to all residents of Shamokin Dam and Selinsgrove counties and Monroe and Penn townships.
“Ways to limit use would be not running the dishwasher until it is full, only doing laundry when absolutely necessary, and limiting time in the shower,” county EMA officials said in an updated social media post. “This does not mean you cannot use the restroom.”
Middle Susquehanna River Warden John Zaktansky took water samples downstream of the sewer pipe break near the Hoover Island boat station Monday afternoon.
“Bacteria is the biggest problem,” he said, adding that he is in contact with the DEP and Fish and Boat Commission officials, who are also closely monitoring the situation.
Meanwhile, Zaktansky reiterated government officials' warning to the public not to undertake any recreational activities on the river or affected waters in the near future.
“Until we know the extent of the problem, people are not allowed to use the river,” he said.
The exit ramp from southbound Route 11 to Route 35 in Penn Township will remain closed Wednesday as a crew works to repair a broken sewer pipe at the authority at 870 S. Front St. in Selinsgrove.
A contractor hired by ESCRA will begin placing material along the exit ramp today. The area will be closed to traffic from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday while repairs are being made. A detour will be in place during the work, using Route 11 southbound to Aqueduct Road, Route 11 northbound to Route 35, PennDOT said.
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