Thousands of Gallons of Sewage Spill into North Idaho Town Streets

HAYDEN, Idaho (AP) — About 100,000 gallons of raw sewage spewed into the streets of Hayden after a pipe broke.

The incident occurred early Thursday morning. Traffic was rerouted for nine hours while the release was contained and the area disinfected. The Hayden Area Regional Sewer Board has contacted an expert to determine the potential effects on groundwater and nearby water wells. Officials expect minimal, if any, impacts on drinking water.

The Coeur d'Alene Press reports that the sewage release is likely to have a measureable impact on the aquifer at the water table. However, water supplies come from much deeper in the aquifer.