OAKLAND — An electrical malfunction at a pump station caused 42,000 gallons of sewage to overflow near the shore of Deep Creek Lake early Sunday morning.
The incident occurred near the intersection of Garrett Highway (U.S. Route 219) and Lake Shore Drive at about 7 a.m. Sunday, according to Linda Lindsey, director of Garrett County’s Department of Public Utilities.
Lindsey said electricians are working to determine the cause of the malfunction, which is unclear. An electrical short apparently prevented a generator from supplying backup power to the pumps.
“This was very unusual,” she said. “This does not happen on a regular basis.”
Access to the spill area was restricted and the area was disinfected, Lindsey said. A public service announcement was broadcast on the radio to notify the public of the hazard.
The county also notified Maryland Department of Natural Resources officials of the spill.
The area remained restricted as of Tuesday afternoon. Lindsey said officials will conduct daily testing and water-quality monitoring there until e. coli counts fall to acceptable levels.
Those counts have already declined significantly, she said.
The county health department recommends that people avoid swimming in that area of the lake until it is cleared, Lindsey added.
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