The City of Oakridge has declared a state of emergency after a sewer overflow was discovered Wednesday. Wastewater was found to be in a storm drain spillway that feeds into the Middle Fork Willamette River.
The city says drinking water in Oakridge is unaffected and safe to use but it’s unknown what the risk is to the river downstream.
According to the Highway 58 Herald, the city is working to repair the line as soon as possible and look for a permanent fix.
Meanwhile, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has ordered Oakridge to conduct daily water sampling.