MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Myrtle Beach city officials discovered a sewage leak near the KOA campground Sunday morning and are warning nearby residents to steer clear of the leaked sewage as the bacteria levels may cause sickness.
In the past 24 hours, the City of Myrtle Beach experienced a sewage leak from a two-inch pipe on Fifth Avenue South near KOA Campground, reports Mark Kruea, Public Information Officer. The leak occurred when an air release valve failed on a 20-inch sewer force main. An estimated 50,000 gallons of untreated sewage flowed into a nearby drainage ditch, which in turn flows into Withers Swash.
The sewage leak was discovered Sunday morning and city staff stopped the leak and disinfected the ditch immediately after discovering the problem. Crews are working to repair the air release valve Monday morning. The city notified the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and also requested that Coastal Carolina University take in-stream swash and ocean water quality samples Monday. The results from those tests will be available Tuesday, adds Kruea.
High bacteria levels may result in gastroenteritis, officials warn, which can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever, headache and/or diarrhea. Contact with contaminated water may also cause eye, ear, nose and throat infections.