Police Searching for Source of Concrete Dumped in Sewer
Santa Monica police believe that they are hot on the trail of the culprit who dumped wet concrete into the sewer system, stopping up the sewer in a 30-unit apartment complex.
Sgt. Dick R. Tapia said an unknown amount of concrete was inadvertently dumped into the sewer line Monday evening from a construction site at 1338 Mall.
“They were laying the foundation for a building,” Tapia said. “The concrete, instead, found its way into the sewer. That’s what we think happened, at this point.”
Police and city officials became aware of the problem Tuesday afternoon when residents of the Mar Vista Apartments, 1305 2nd St., reported that their toilets were overflowing.
Jack Hoagland, city water engineer, said that investigation showed that 30 to 60 feet of eight-inch sewer line on the alley between Mall and 2nd Street was plugged up.
“We managed to open up a bypass and contain the overflow in the alley,” he said, adding that a new line was expected to be installed by Wednesday.
Hoagland said the city will seek costs to repair the damage from whoever dumped the concrete. No arrests have been made or citations issued, Sgt. Tapia said.
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