City crews responded this morning to a sewage release under the west side of the Burnside Bridge at Waterfront Park. They contained the release and are working on cleanup to the pavement under the bridge.
The quantity is unknown. A portion of the flow is likely have led through a storm pipe under the bridge to the Willamette River.
The public is advised to avoid the area. Warning signs are posted at the site, and crews have placed barrier tape to further restrict public access while cleanup is underway.
While the exact volume is unknown, the size
of the release is unlikely to lead to elevated levels of bacteria in the river. Even so, out of an abundance of caution, Environmental Services is advising the public to avoid contact with the Willamette River around the Burnside Bridge for 48 hours.
The release is from a pump station, one of 99 facilities around the city that collect and send sewage through pressurized pipes to the city’s wastewater treatment plants.
Environmental Services has shut down one of the pump station’s pressurized pipes after identifying it as the likely cause. Repairs are underway. This incident remains under investigation.
The public is encouraged to report sewage releases. If you experience or see a sewer overflow, call the City of Portland’s hotline, which is staffed at all hours of the day and night: 503-823-1700.
About Environmental Services
Environmental Services - the City of Portland’s sewer and stormwater utility - protects public health and environment by collecting and recovering resources from the city’s wastewater, managing stormwater, and restoring and protecting Portland’s rivers, streams, and watersheds. www.Portland.gov/bes/news.