MILLSBORO, Del. — The Town of Millsboro confirmed Thursday that an estimated 25,000 gallons of wastewater entered marshland leading to the Indian River during a sewage spill caused by a broken pipe near its wastewater treatment plant.
The town says the spill was discovered Jan. 15 during routine maintenance on a sewer gravity collection system just north of the plant. Millsboro says within 30 minutes, the town began using pumping trucks to bypass the broken pipe and prevent further release of wastewater.
Millsboro says the bypass system maintained sewer service to people who live in the area while allowing clean-up crews to begin lime stabilization and other remediation efforts in the affected marshland. Bypass pumping will continue until the damaged pipeline is repaired or replaced.
As a result of the spill, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control issued an emergency closure of Indian River Bay to all bivalve shellfish harvesting, including clams and mussels. The closure will remain in place for 21 days after the discharge has ended, in accordance with National Shellfish Sanitation Program requirements.
DNREC has not yet confirmed when the sewage release officially stopped, meaning the 21-day closure period has not begun.
The spill does not affect Rehoboth Bay or commercially farmed oysters grown there. Crabbing, conch collection, and fishing in the area remain allowed. However, DNREC advises people to limit water contact in Indian River Bay and surrounding waterways as a precaution.
Delaware Natural Resources Police are patrolling the area and informing the public about the closure. DNREC said more updates will be provided once the discharge has stopped and the reopening date for shellfish harvesting can be determined.
For more information about shellfish closures, visit de.gov/shellfish.