Ruptured pipe spills 340,000 gallons of sewage into Yaquina Bay

NEWPORT — A ruptured sewer pipe spilled approximately 340,000 gallons of raw sewage into Yaquina Bay on Friday and Saturday.

The city said the rupture occurred at the Bayfront Pump Station at 198 S.E. Bay Boulevard. The spill began at 1:13 p.m. Friday and was not repaired until 4:37 p.m. Saturday.

The city of Newport has placed health hazard warning signs at several access points along the bayfront and along the southern Yaquina Bay shoreline in South Beach.

The public is asked to avoid the water until further notice, as touching or swallowing water contaminated with bacteria can put people and pets at risk of disease.

The city is collecting samples to determine when the water is safe for people and pets to contact.

As of Monday, the city of Newport did not have an update on the test results from the water. The city said the Department of Environmental Quality regulates the sampling and when the DEQ tells the city the water is safe, the city will notify the public and remove the signs.