4 Million Gallons Of Sewage Spill Into Schuylkill River

An estimated four million gallons of sewage from a treatment plant in Berks County spilled into the Schuylkill River on Tuesday, putting municipalities along the river downstream on alert.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said that the spill, which occurred in Exeter Township, was not likely to have major negative impacts.

"Given the ratio of the discharge to the river flow, it is unlikely the spill will cause any issues to public health or the environment," John Repetz, a spokesperson for DEP, told Patch in an email.

Repetz said that municipalities downstream of Exeter had been notified of the spill and were monitoring their intakes from the river.

Exeter Township announced on Wednesday afternoon that "normal water usage" could resume for township residents, after warning residents to limit their usage Tuesday evening.

Brent Wagner, the Utilities Director with the borough of Pottstown, told Patch that they added a little more chlorine to their water as a response to the spill, upping their dosage to 1.5 mg to 2.0.

Wagner added that testing of the river near Pottstown revealed a spike in fecal matter, which he said was to be expected.

While drinking water can be swiftly treated, sewage has the potential to trigger harmful responses in the ecosystem, including algae blooms.

Patch file photo