A broken pipe caused more than a hundred gallons of waste to spill into the ocean off Pismo Beach. It’s the second sewage spill to happen in the area in July.
About 120 gallons of sewage spilled onto the street and into a storm drain connected to the Pacific Ocean. According to city officials, the pipe possibly broke because it was old and could not handle pressure.
“As we look at climate change, our infrastructure is often not equipped to deal with the impacts of like larger storm systems,” said Jasmine Fournier, the executive director for the Ocean Sewage Alliance. The organization aims to stop ocean and wastewater pollution.
She said sewage can have contaminants like pharmaceuticals, microplastics and household cleaners that could harm marine life.
“Even a small sewage spill, it's more impactful on that local marine ecosystem than we might realize,” Fournier said.
According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, microplastics can cause fertility and immune system issues for animals. Fournier said that improved and new infrastructure could help cities become more drought-resistant and prevent sewage from polluting nearby oceans.
San Luis Obispo County officials said an ocean water sample collected near the beach access point at South Beachcomber Drive indicated that the water is now safe to enter. The city’s utilities department cleaned up the spill and fixed the broken main line.
Personnel are also assessing long-term repair options, like replacing the pipe.
