On Sunday afternoon, 60,000 gallons of wastewater was released near the intersection of Okatie Highway and Lawton Blvd. in Bluffton, according to the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority. The overflow of sewage began just before 1 p.m. and was contained around 5 p.m.
A pipeline — called a force main because water and wastewater moves through it with pressure rather than gravity — broke, leading to the flow of wastewater said Jeff LaRue, chief communications officer for BJWSA. When broken, these kinds of pipelines spill a lot of water quickly, LaRue said, but they are used in areas that are relatively flat, like Bluffton. The pipeline was repaired and returned to service at approximately 1:30 a.m., according to BJWSA.
BJSWA has since pumped out the pond, brought the sewage back to the treatment plant and spread lime on surfaces to help reduce odor and kill germs. Warning signs have also been put up in the area. The authority is working in conjunction with the South Carolina Department of Environment Services to address any effects caused by the overflow.
An average backyard swimming pool holds around 20,000 gallons of water , while an Olympic-sized swimming pools holds 660,000 gallons . The gallons of spilled wastewater would fill three average backyard swimming pools and about 10% of an Olympic-sized swimming pool…