Broken pipe leaks sewage into Petaluma River

Advocates for a clean Petaluma River can’t seem to catch a break. After a dredging project finally cleared the channel of silt, a king tide last week partially submerged a barge that leaked fluids into the river.

Then, on Saturday, a cracked sewer pipe spilled more than 4,000 gallons of sewage into the river just north of Brewsters Beer Garden.

The city’s Public Works Department was informed Saturday afternoon of the leak in an 18-inch steel sewer pipe that spans the river next to the Lynch Creek Trail bridge, according to an emailed update from Public Works Director Jason Beatty.

The leak was coming from a spot near the water’s edge where the pipe leaves the Copeland Street pump station. Workers secured the pumps and placed a temporary patch on 1½-inch hole in the steel pipe, Beatty said.

He said the State Water Board has been notified, and required sampling of the river has been taken.

“We are still investigating why this localized failure occurred,” Beatty wrote. “My first impression is that the leak occurred at a ‘hot spot’ of accelerated corrosion where the coating of the steel piping was compromised. And it was compounded by being at the high tide line of brackish water.”

On Sunday, crews worked to set up an emergency bypass of the compromised pipe, which stopped the leak. The bypass also was needed to allow more permanent repairs to be made by taken the damaged section off line, Beatty said.

The work closed the Lynch Creek Trail between Water Street and Lakeville Street. Workers this week continued to make more permanent repairs and reopen the trail.