Major sewage spill at Holmes Run and Cameron Run
 |
| Dead fish in Dora Kelley Nature Park. [Photo by Mark Kelly.] |
UPDATE: A notice from Fairfax County urges people to avoid Holmes Run stream between Columbia Pike and Dowden Terrace.
A sanitary sewer line has broke at Holmes Run, and the City of Alexandria has published a warning urging people to “avoid
contact with waters of Holmes Run and Cameron Run.” The warning says “City crews have responded
to reports of a possible sanitary sewer line break in Fairfax County which is
impacting Holmes Run in Alexandria.” The break actually occurred near Columbia Pike and was not connected with the Holmes Run Crossing project.
contact with waters of Holmes Run and Cameron Run.” The warning says “City crews have responded
to reports of a possible sanitary sewer line break in Fairfax County which is
impacting Holmes Run in Alexandria.” The break actually occurred near Columbia Pike and was not connected with the Holmes Run Crossing project.
“While checking for safety issues in Dora Kelley Nature Park on Sunday around 4:50 p.m., I noticed that the waters of
Holmes Run were full of a gray effluent that was covering the entire stream bed
and causing a fish kill,” reports an email from Mark Kelly, manager of the
Jerome Buddie” Ford Nature Center on Sanger Avenue in Alexandria.
Kelly urges residents to keep their dogs
out of the stream. A local resident walking along the stream said a worker told
him a large section of sewer pipe collapsed and
allowed thousands of gallons of raw sewage to flow down the creek unchecked.
out of the stream. A local resident walking along the stream said a worker told
him a large section of sewer pipe collapsed and
allowed thousands of gallons of raw sewage to flow down the creek unchecked.