PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Maine Department of Environmental Protection says a spill at a wastewater treatment facility may have resulted in elevated bacteria levels in the vicinity of the accident.
The spill happened Thursday morning, when about a million gallons of partially treated sewage spilled out of a Portland wastewater treatment plant and into Casco Bay. The DEP says water samples have been taken and are in the process of being analyzed. The agency says results could be available on Friday.
The city closed East End Beach to swimming as a result of the spill, which also damaged part of a popular trail. The DEP says the Portland Water District is expected to submit a report about the incident within a few days. The DEP will then determine what to do next.