Alexandria Residents Cautioned to Avoid Holmes Run (Update)
(Clarification: see bolded text below)
October 7, 2011
As a precautionary measure, the City of Alexandria advises residents to avoid the waters of the Holmes Run stream crossing located near the intersection of Holmes Run Parkway and North Paxton Street (approximately 300 yards upstream of the Beatley pedestrian bridge) due to a sewage spill that occurred in a sewer line owned and maintained by Fairfax County.
Residents are advised not to fish in or have any contact with the waters, including wading or swimming, until further notice. Parents are advised to keep children and pets away from the streams. Avoiding human and pet contact with these waters will help to eliminate the risk of exposure to untreated sewage from this spill.
The advisory to avoid all contact is considered an extra precaution to allow the effect of the sewage spill to be diminished by natural flushing of the streams.
City staff are currently investigating sanitary infrastructure to ensure there are no additional leaks or discharges contributing to this spill. Sewer overflow is currently being contained behind an existing concrete Check Dam downstream of the break, which prevents discharge from spreading further downstream. City staff, in coordination with Fairfax County, are on-scene to contain and clean up the spill as quickly as possible.
For additional information, contact the Office of Environmental Quality at 703.746.4065.
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