Health officials call sewage spill ‘minor’

Alex Coolman

The sewage spill that forced the closure of a stretch of beach between

Dover Shores and Bayshore Beach on Thursday was relatively minor, a

spokeswoman for the Orange County Health Care Agency said.

Monica Mazur, a spokeswoman for the agency, said about 10,000 gallons of

sewage spilled from a blocked sewer line Thursday. She said 2,000 gallons

of that spill were contained before mixing with the water.

In the world of sewage flows, this counts as a “small” mishap, Mazur

noted.

The Health Care Agency is performing tests to see whether the

contamination has cleared up.

“If they’re in compliance with standards, we’ll reopen on Sunday,” Mazur

said.

In the meantime, swimming is restricted along the closed beaches.

“Kayaking and things of that nature is not a problem,” Mazur said. “Just

try not to dunk yourself.”