Sewage spills into Percival Creek when falling tree severs pipe and pedestrian bridge
People are advised to avoid contact with Capitol Lake and Percival Creek after a tree fell onto a pedestrian bridge and broke a sewer pipe crossing the creek in Olympia on Friday night.
Sewage from the busted pipe spilled into the creek, which then flowed into the lake.
The Thurston County Public Health and Social Services issued the alert Saturday cautioning the public to avoid contact with the contaminated water until further notice.
The tree fell about 10:30 p.m. Friday at the bridge located about a half-mile west of Deschutes Parkway. The creek runs underneath U.S. 101 and into Percival Cove and Capitol Lake.
There are no concerns with drinking water, the health department said.
The flow from the pipe was stopped by city workers. It’s not known how much sewage spilled, the health department said.
This story was originally published February 8, 2020 at 3:26 PM.
