Blockage Causes Sewage Spill Into Golf Creek

Hillsboro, OR — March 28, 2003 — An unknown blockage in an eight-inch sewer line behind the Sylvan Heights Condominiums near 82nd and Barnes Road caused up to 280,000 gallons of raw sewage to overflow from a manhole into Golf Creek north of Sunset Highway. Although there is no public access to the spill area, Clean Water Services recommends people avoid contact with the Golf Creek downstream of Barnes Road. 

Clean Water Services crews responded to the spill Thursday evening after being alerted to the problem by surveyors who were working in the steeply wooded ravine behind the Sylvan Heights Condominiums. Crews unplugged the blockage and posted sewage spill warning signs downstream of the area on Thursday evening.  Site clean up and water sampling began early Friday.

Clean Water Services’ estimates that the overflow could have been occurring for up to one month before the problem was discovered on Thursday.

Clean Water Services will keep warning signs posted and continue water sampling downstream of the spill area until clean up is complete.

The public sewer line serves approximately 100 units in the Sylvan Heights Condominium complex.

Clean Water Services is the sanitary sewer and surface water management utility serving 450,000 residents of urban Washington County. Although Clean Water Services maintains a close working relationship with Washington County, it is a separately managed and financed public utility.

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