PENINSULA BEACHES CLOSED AFTER SPILL RAIN CAUSES LEAK OF UNTREATED SEWAGE.(LOCAL) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

Byline: LINDA McNATT THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

NEWPORT NEWS -- Beaches on the Peninsula will be closed this weekend and South Hampton Roads beaches will be monitored as health officials respond to a spill of untreated sewage at the James River Treatment Plant.

When more than 3 inches of rain fell in the Menchville section of northern Newport News, where the plant is located, more than 2 million gallons of wastewater - raw sewage mixed with stormwater - overflowed across the plant grounds Thursday.

Some ``very diluted'' wastewater spilled into local waters, near where the James and York rivers merge, said Nancy Munnikhuysen, a spokeswoman for the Hampton Roads Sanitation District.

As a precaution, the state Health Department has banned swimming at Huntington and Hilton beaches in Newport News, and Buckroe and Grandview beaches in

Hampton. Signs have been posted alerting people to the closures.

``At this point, we don't know if there is a public health risk as a result of the overflow,'' said Robert B. Stroube, the state health commissioner, in a statement. ``Once we are able to look at data collected from these waters, we will be able to better assess the situation.''

Samples were taken Friday from all closed beaches, and test results are expected early next week.

Waters are being tested off Norfolk, from Willoughby Beach to City Beach, including the Ocean View areas, said Dr. Valerie Stallings, director of the Norfolk Health Department. There were no plans to check other James River beaches in South Hampton Roads, officials said, because the current should keep the sewage well away from the shoreline.

The plant, which serves about 33,000 households and businesses in Newport News, was built in 1967 and never before has had a serious spill, Munnikhuysen said.

No wastewater reached neighborhoods adjacent to the treatment plant during Thursday's spill, Munnikhuysen said, but some diluted sewage reached the river through storm drains. She said there should be no threat to marine life and the HRSD immediately notified Richmond.

``Plant personnel have cleaned the plant site, and we've initiated a study to develop a strategy that would prevent this from happening again,'' Munnikhuysen said.

Exposure to fecal material can place swimmers at risk for bacterial, parasitic or viral infections, according to the state Health Department. People swimming or playing in waters with high bacteria levels have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal and other illnesses, health officials said.

The waters will continue to be tested and beaches will be reopened once bacterial levels meet health standards, officials said.

Reach Linda McNatt at linda.mcnatt@pilotonline.com or at 222-5561.

CAPTION(S):

JOHN H. SHEALLY II

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

Lifeguards kept everyone but the turtles out of the water at Huntington Beach in Newport News on Friday. Some untreated sewage from the James River Treatment Plant spilled into nearby waters, and some beaches were closed as a precaution.

GRAPHIC AND COLOR MAP

What happened

More than 3 inches of rain fell in the Menchville section of Newport News, where the James River Treatment Plant is located. More than 2 million gallons of raw sewage mixed with stormwater overflowed across the plant grounds Thursday, and some spilled into local waters.

The Risk

Exposure to fecal material can place swimmers at risk for bacterial, parasitic or viral infections. At right: A sample from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of E. coli and other bacteria found in fecal matter.