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Sanitary Sewage Release Advisory - (this is not a combined sewer overflow [CSO] advisory)
(February 15, 2020) – A clog in a sewer line led to a sewage release on the 2800 block of NW Cornell around 10 a.m. today. City crews stopped the release at about 11:30 a.m. and are cleaning the street this afternoon.
Crews cleared the blockage and estimate that about 6,000 gallons flowed along NW Cornell Road for about 1,000 feet to a storm drain. That drain leads to the City’s wastewater treatment plant.
No creeks or other water body were affected. The public is advised to obey warning signs that have been posted around the release.
The cause of the blockage is unknown. Most sewage overflows are preventable. Pipes that become blocked with grease, tree roots, wet wipes and other debris are the most common cause of sewage overflows.
Environmental Services advises the public to follow these tips to prevent clogs in homes and businesses, and to prevent sewage releases: Only flush only human waste and toilet paper (wet wipes are NOT flushable); collect grease and fat in cans and put them into the garbage not down drains; and to not put anything down storm drains, which are intended for rainfall only.
This sewage release is not related to the City of Portland's combined sewer overflow control system, commonly called the Big Pipe Project. That system protects the Willamette River and Columbia Slough from stormwater and sewage overflows during heavy rains.
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.