State environmental officials have closed Rehoboth Bay to shellfishing for the next 21 days after thousands of gallons of untreated wastewater spilled into the waterway.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) says the spill occurred Tuesday when a plumber cut a residential sewer line at a mobile home park in the Long Neck area of Sussex County.
It was reported and Delaware Natural Resources Police responded. The spill has been stopped.
The 21-day moratorium on shellfish harvest is a federal guideline to ensure oysters, mussels, and clams will be safe to eat after a natural purification process. It applies to both commercial and recreational harvesting.