LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — More water well tests were completed on Saturday as the recovery effort for a massive sewage spill in Clearlake continues.
The spill began three weeks ago today, when a 16-inch force main operated by the Lake County Sanitation District ruptured on Robin Lane, releasing nearly three millions gallons over a 38-hour period.
The incident led to some temporary relocations for residents who rely on well water, as dozens of wells were found to have been contaminated by the sewage.
For the past week, a joint command composed of the city of Clearlake and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services has moved the incident into a recovery operation.
An updated map released on Friday showed nine impact zones totaling an estimated 550 acres — an increase of about 250 acres — on the northern end of Clearlake.
The expanded area includes three new incident zones covering properties north of Burns Valley Road that are east of Reid Lane and south of Pond Road, and north of Olympic Drive that are east of Old Highway 53, and west of Highway 53.
Officials have advised residents within the expanded area not to use their well water until water sampling and laboratory testing have been completed and results confirm the water is safe for use.
Groundwater testing is ongoing as officials seek to clear property owners to be able to safely use their wells again.
On Saturday, the incident management team reported that 18 more water samples had been completed, bringing the total to 394 for 151 sites tested.
The number of water tanks installed for residents remained at 25 on Saturday — 18 of them by the incident management team and seven through a program administered by Lake County Social Services.
For residents without water, the mobile laundry and hygiene service trailer is located at 2485 Old Highway 53 in Clearlake.
Residents with questions may contact Lake County Environmental Health at 707-263-1164 for well testing and the city of Clearlake at 707-994-8201 for general information.
Updates, maps, testing information and available resources are available here or at Response.LakeCountyCA.gov.
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