A cleanup operation is underway after about 1 140 000 liters of sewage was spilt into Padden Creek in the south of Bellingham in Whatcom County, Washington, on Tuesday 23-Thursday 25 February 2016. The spill occured during work to replace sewer pipes in the area, and was shut off as soon as it was discovered. Acces to an are of the creek between Seventeenth Street and Padden Lagoon has been shut off.
A sign warning of the dangers of spilt sewage on Padden Creek on Friday 26 February 2016. Philip Dwyer/The Bellingham Herald.
As well as the obvious dangers to health presented by sewage, which is likely to contain a variety of Bacteria and other micro-organisms harmful to Human health, sewage provides a source of nutrients which can lead to eutrophication and the
rapid growth of blooms of Algae, Bacteria or other micro-organisms,
which absorb oxygen from the water leading Fish and other aquatic organisms to asphyxiate.
Paddne Creek was culvertized (covered and channeled through a concrete culvert) in the late nineteenth century) but has recently undergone restoration work intended to return it to a natural state, both to improve the local habitat and to provide a run for Salmon and Trout, which historically used the creek to access Padden Lake and the waterways which supply it. Officials involved in the project have describes the spill as 'disheartening'.
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