SC waterway closed to swimmers after sewage spill

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) - Part of a South Carolina waterway has been closed to swimmers after thousands of gallons of raw sewage leaked into it.

By: Associated Press | WSAV-TV
Published: June 03, 2009

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HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Part of a South Carolina waterway has been closed to swimmers after thousands of gallons of raw sewage leaked into it.

The Island Packet of Hilton Head reported Wednesday that around 100,000 gallons of sewage drained into Battery Creek. The contamination happened over the weekend, but wasn't detected until Monday.

Authorities says a knot of rags and cleaning wipes blocked an underground sewer line, sending about 200,000 gallons of sewage gushing out of a manhole. Some of that sewage flowed into a storm drain that empties into the creek.

Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority spokeswoman Jerrie Legare says it may have been the authority's largest spill.

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Information from: The Island Packet, http://www.islandpacket.com