City of Durham contains 150 gallon sewer spill

Pedestrians walk past a manhole cover for a sewer in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, July 18, 2019. Soon students in Berkeley, California will have to pledge to…

Pedestrians walk past a manhole cover for a sewer in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, July 18, 2019. Soon students in Berkeley, California will have to pledge to “collegiate Greek system residences” instead of sororities or fraternities and city workers will have to refer to manholes as “maintenance holes.” Officials in the liberal city this week passed an ordinance to replace some terms with gender-neutral words in the city code. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

by: Kathryn Hubbard

Posted: Mar 19, 2023 / 03:55 PM EDT

Updated: Mar 19, 2023 / 03:55 PM EDT

DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — The City of Durham said they contained a 150 gallon sewer spill on Saturday.

The City of Durham Department of Water Management said that on Saturday, staff responded to a manhole overflowing at 2716 Eldorado Street near Broad Street.

Staffers were informed of the spill at 5:22 p.m. on Saturday and the overflow was stopped at 7:52 p.m.

Crews flushed the line, dammed the creek downstream, pumped the untreated wastewater back into the sewer system and flushed the creek.

Around 150 gallons of untreated wastewater went into Ellerbe Creek. The city said the cause of the overflow was roots blocking the sewer line.

Officials said there were no hazards to people, property or the environment.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources was notified of the event on Sunday, which is required by state law.