Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control issued the emergency closure last week after learning Millsboro’s sewage system leaked into the Indian River and Bay.
Millsboro town manager Jamie Burke says they found the leak during routine inspection of their aging infrastructure through the use of closed caption camera equipment and were able to immediately address the issue.
“Millsboro Public Works immediately responded to the incident and redirected all available resources to the spill. Within 30 minutes of verifying the overflow, the town started using pumping trucks to bypass the broken pipeline until a bypass pump could be installed.” he told DPM.
Town officials say they were able to address the leak within 30 minutes of discovery, but not before 25,000 of wastewater was leaked.
“It’s an old section of pipe, that’s why we were doing the TV cameraing of the inside of the pipe: to determine the condition of the pipes for potential repairs and replacement.” he said.
The leak was remediated by diverting the flow of wastewater through a different pipe before an overflow pump was able to be installed, according to Burke.
DNREC officials say the mussel and clamming ban is required to last 21 days after the issue is resolved under the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. It’s expected to be lifted February 5th.
Shellfish like crab and lobster remain unaffected.
Updates are available at the DNREC Shellfish Program webpage.
