PORTLAND, Ore. — City crews responded Thursday to the burst pressurized sewage pipe underneath the North Columbia Boulevard overpass. Though crews worked overnight to contain the sewage, the flow continues, and officials are warning people to stay out of the Columbia Slough.
"The sewage that is bubbling up from the ground at the base of an overpass is being contained and pumped right back into our system, so we are preventing that continued overflow to public spaces," explained Diane Dulken of the city of Portland.
Because sewage was flowing underneath the overpass, the city has closed North Columbia Boulevard between North Rivergate and North Burgard.
"City engineers are working to assess whether there is any damage to the bridge itself, and any vehicle traffic over that would only cause more damage if there were any," Dulken said.
There are currently no interruptions for customers in the area.
"What's important is that service continues; there is no interruption. People can continue to put things down the sink, flush their toilets," Dulken said. "In that service area, which is largely industrial, we are continuing service while we do repairs."
But officials are warning people to stay out of the nearby Columbia Slough.
"A certain portion of that sewage has reached the Columbia Slough," Dulken said. "We have stabilized the site, but out of an abundance of caution for anybody recreating in or around the slough, please avoid contact with the slough water around there until this incident is resolved."
Officials said that the overpass will reopen as soon as it is deemed safe, but engineers said it will likely take up to two weeks to repair the pipe, which is underground in a hard-to-reach location.