SILVERDALE – Two sewage spills at the Bucklin Hill Bridge construction project released a total of around 56,000 gallons of sewage into Dyes Inlet this week, leading the Kitsap Public Health District to issue a no-contact advisory for Dyes Inlet and the Port of Washington Narrows through at least Aug. 11.

All shellfish harvesting in Dyes Inlet and Port Washington is closed.

“People really need to stay out of the water,” said Karen Bevers with KPHD.

A July 30 spill occurred 3-5:30 p.m. and released 40,000 gallons when the bridge project contractor, Granite Construction, inadvertently hit the sewer main, creating a two-inch hole.

Immediately following the spill, the Kitsap County Parks Department closed Silverdale Waterfront Park, Lions Park and Evergreen-Rotary Park, but all were reopened later. Even though the parks are open, the public is urged to stay out of the water, off beaches and refrain from collecting rocks and shells until the no-contact advisory is lifted.

On Aug. 4, a second spill of about 16,000 gallons occurred when a mechanical rubber plug installed in the sewer force main failed. The plug was meant to stop the sewer flow while creating a bypass line around the construction site.

The incident occurred at around 10:15 a.m. and was initially contained with on-site equipment. There was about 45 minutes where sewage flow exceed the capacity of the on-site equipment resulting in the 16,000 gallon spill.

“Any impact to the environment and the water ways of the County is of great concern to us,” said Andrew Nelson, director of Public Works, in a press statement.

District 3 Commissioner Ed Wolfe, whose district includes the Silverdale area, said “My wife and I moved to Kitsap because of the pristine environment and the people. At the top of my priority list as a county commissioner is to maintain this pristine environment.

“We are getting control of the situation to do everything to make sure this doesn’t happen again. We swim and eat the clams in Dyes Inlet, and we will do it again,” Wolfe said.

The County’s contractor, Granite Construction, is an experienced nationwide contractor with an extensive resume of completing large infrastructure projects in environmentally sensitive areas. Quick and appropriate actions by the contractor and County crews on site limited the amount of sewage that entered the inlet. The contractor had the necessary equipment on site which contributed to their ability to respond quickly to the incident and mitigate the potential harm to the environment.

The existing force main is buried in the fill across the estuary and has to be replaced with a new force main that can be hung on the bridge. The sewer bypass line is now constructed and has been tested and exceeds required standards. This sewer bypass line is separated from the construction area to remove potential for further damage by construction activities.

The County is conducting a full investigation of both events and will determine what corrective action is appropriate. The contractor is responsible for all activity on the site and required to reimburse the county for all costs associated with the sewer pipe repair and clean-up.

Water samples will be taken at public beaches on Dyes Inlet and Port Washington Narrows Aug. 10. Samples will be evaluated on Aug. 11 to determine if the advisory can be lifted.

During a no-contact advisory, the public is advised to avoid contact with the water in the affected area, including no swimming, wading, or types of water play where water could be swallowed or get in the mouth, nose or eyes. Avoid direct skin contact if possible, and immediately wash with soap and water if exposed to the water.

For information about the no contact advisory in place in Dyes Inlet visit the Kitsap Public Health District news page at http://www.kitsappublichealth.org/news/.