Portland, Oregon, officials are urging people near the area where Lake Oswego and Tryon Creek meet to be vigilant in light of a possible raw sewage leak in the area. The leak, which is thought to have sprung from a seam in an elevated sewer pipe, is estimated to have leaked several gallons of raw sewage in the 20 hours before it was discovered by Portland’s Tryon Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant workers on April 12.
The site of the leak is about 40 feet south of the concourse of Tyron Creek basin and the Willamette River. The cities of Lake Oswego and Portland teamed up to purchase 6.5 acres of land at the concourse in 2002. Officials are discussing whether they will shut down the plant permanently or attempt to clean up the mess and continue running the plant.
In March, rainstorms affected sewage plants in the Oregon towns of Riddle and Glendale, spilling raw sewage and storm water into Cow Creek within the same week. Residents were encouraged not to bathe, drink or swim in Cow Creek for several days following the spills.
