7,600 gallons of sewage spilled into Morro Bay Harbor on Sunday. The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department reported that a broken sewage line at The Inn at Morro Bay caused the spill.
Last week, another sewage spill happened in Pismo Beach. However, Peter Hague with County Environmental Health Services said the two incidents are unrelated.
“This was due to a mistake someone made during some construction activities, completely unrelated to the system that collects and transports the sewage system,” Hague said. “The spill in Pismo Beach was estimated at 100 gallons due to a piece of equipment that failed.”
Hague advised avoiding the water near the spill until health officials declare it safe.
“Sewage can contain bacteria and viruses which can make people sick,” Hague said. “Typically, it's gastrointestinal issues, but could lead to ear infections as well.”
The county posted health advisory signs near the spill, which will remain until water quality tests show it's safe to swim.
He said the spill likely won't have long-term environmental effects because the tides will quickly dilute the sewage.
