Sewage Leak into the Ocean in a California Town

In the town of Los Osos in central California, a rupture in a sewage pipeline’s air vent caused an overflow of approximately 15,000 gallons of untreated sewage. Some of the sewage seeped into the surrounding soil before flowing into the nearshore mudflats and shallow waters of the Pacific Ocean. Concentrations of fecal coliform bacteria in the affected nearshore waters briefly exceeded regulatory limits, threatening the survival of marine life such as intertidal shellfish and small fish. Local authorities have temporarily closed public trails and wading areas along the coast and posted warning signs.