Large Miami Beach Sewage Spill Turns Tourists Into Spectators

The Atlantic Ocean looked crystal clear Wednesday, but the beach was lined with red “Danger” flags and swimming was banned along a 25-mile stretch because a broken pipe spewed more than 25 million gallons of raw sewage into Biscayne Bay.

On a sunny 90-degree day, tourists sat on the shore, watching the flat ocean, while many locals headed farther north to avoid contaminated waters. Lifeguards patrolled the beach to try to keep people from entering the water.

“Today was the day we picked to spend on South Beach,” grumbled Norma Pryor of Grand Ledge, Mich., who was visiting her daughter in Miami. “It’s pretty disappointing that we can’t go in the water.”

“It really stinks,” said Nick Demick, her 15-year-old grandson.

A marine contractor drove a concrete piling through a 54-inch underwater sewage main Tuesday afternoon. By noon Wednesday, the sewage was partially rerouted from the broken main to another line.

Workers hoped to seal the broken main and contain the leak by Friday, said Barbara Sanchez, a spokeswoman for Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer.

Drinking water was not affected, but Miami Beach and Bal Harbour residents were asked to conserve water to reduce the flow into the sewer system.

Contaminated water could linger after the leak is sealed.

“It’s too early to say when the beaches can be opened,” said Samir Elmir, administrator of Miami-Dade County Environmental Health.