The Midway Sewer District experienced a sewage pump station failure around Sept. 14, 2020, and untreated sewage flowed into the South Fork of McSorley Creek at the location of approximately Pacific Highway South and South 260th Street.

The district said on its website that the failure was repaired and cleanup efforts are underway.

Marc Montieth, the General Manager of the Midway Sewer District, provided the following update on Sept. 29, 2020:

    • The spill occurred about a mile upstream of the beach in the South Fork of McSorley creek.
    • The spill was caused by a tripped breaker at the South 260th Street Sewage Pump Station, which provides power to a control panel that operates the pumps.
    • The breaker has been replaced and the pump station is working properly.
    • The upper portion of the creek was cleaned to a point that no visual evidence of the spill remained.
    • District personnel are conducting multiple weekly water quality tests in the creek and in Puget Sound near the mouth of the creek. These results are being provided to the Washington Department of Ecology as well as the Health Department. Once the Washington State Health Department is satisfied that the bacteria levels are safe they will reopen the beach.

The Friends of Saltwater State Park posted this on Sept. 27, 2020:

Water quality samples have been taken in the mouth of the creek at Saltwater State Park as well as upstream in the creek.

“Be advised to stay out of the water until clean water samples can verify it is safe,” the district said.

Saltwater State Park is located at 25205 8th Place S.: