Tens of thousands of gallons of sewage were released into a Ventura County river earlier this week, and county health officials have closed beaches near the river’s mouth as a safety precaution.
Veolia North America, which operates the City of Fillmore Wastewater Treatment Plant, reported the spill of 148,000 gallons of sewage to the Ventura County Environmental Health Division, the county said in a news release Thursday.
The spill, which occurred between 6 p.m. Wednesday and 5 a.m. Thursday, was caused by a collapsed sewer line, which sent the sewage into the street and the Santa Clara River, county officials said.
“Veolia staff were able to stop the release by installing a bypass line, but repairs have not been completed,” the release added.
In the meantime, county health officials have posted signs in affected areas, and the beach has been closed from Ventura Harbor south to Oxnard Shores.
“The beaches will remain closed until samples indicate that the ocean water quality meets standards,” the release said.
For more information, visit the county’s ocean water sampling results website or call Veolia North America at 805-223-6700.
