Broken Pipe Releases 15,000 Gallons of Sewage in North Laurel

Howard County health officials say a pipe that ruptured Friday in North Laurel released some 15,000 gallons of sewage, some of which drained into a tributary of the Little Patuxent River.

The break, first observed around 6 a.m., occurred in a 12-inch main at 9705 Washington Blvd., according to a statement from Howard County Health Department spokeswoman Lisa M. de Hernandez. 

County utility personnel were able to plug the pipe and install a pump by about 10 a.m., but de Hernandez said that the leak impacted the Hammond Branch, a stream which flows into the Little Patuxent.

Hyrdated lime—a sanitation aid used for sewage treatment—was applied to the affected land, de Hernandez said, and county health staff posted notices of the spill around the area.

"The public is reminded to avoid contact with these types of affected areas," de Hernandez warned.

Officials are working to determine the cause of the pipe failure and are monitoring the situation. The Maryland Department of the Environment was also notified of the break.

For more information, residents are asked to call the Howard County Department of Public Works, Bureau of Utilities at 410-313-4900.