A power outage caused sewage to spill in a creek in Gloucester Township, New Jersey, officials said.
A Camden County Municipal Utility Authority (CCMUA) pump station next to Big Timber Creek on Chews Landing Road in Gloucester Township lost power from electrical provider PSE&G around 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The power loss created a backup in the station, causing sanitary water to spill into the Big Timber Creek.
Power was restored after about 90 minutes and the overflow was stopped and contained. The Chews Landing Fire Department then helped flush the system and the CCMUA restored it to proper working order.
Officials are warning the public to not swim, drink, fish or eat fish out of the Big Timber Creek or its tributaries for the next 24 hours. The CCMUA, Camden County Health Department and the state Department of Environmental Protection will monitor the waterways for the next several weeks.
