Sewage spills into SLO creek from California Men’s Colony

A “large, unknown volume” of treated sewage was released into a San Luis Obispo creek from California Men’s Colony on Sunday morning, according to the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department.

The equipment malfunction at the state prison was caused by heavy rain, the agency said in a news release Sunday.

“Sewage overflowed from the sewer treatment plant and entered Chorro Creek,” the Public Health Department said, noting that he spill started at about midnight and was stopped at about 9 a.m.

Ocean water samples will be taken from Morro Bay City Beach and Morro Strand State Beach on Monday morning, the county said.

The Public Health Department advises the public to avoid ocean water contact during, and at least three days following significant rainstorms, according to the news release.

Surfers, swimmers and others are suggested to avoid contact with ocean water, particularly near “creeks, rivers, storm drains and other runoff outlets that empty into the ocean,” the release said.

“Rainstorm runoff is known to transport high levels of disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, viruses and protozoa from the watershed and urban areas to the ocean,” the release said. “Such organisms carried into the ocean can cause skin, respiratory, and intestinal problems.”

Young children, older adults and those with compromised immune systems are more susceptible to these pathogens, the county said.

For more information about beach water quality, visit the Public Health Department Beach Water Quality website at slocounty.ca.gov/health/publichealth/ehs/beach, or call the Ocean Water Monitoring Program Telephone Hotline at 805-788-3411.