According to the Wareham Department of Natural Resources, all areas that were previously closed due to a sewage spill have reopened as of Wednesday afternoon, July 8, per the approval of the Wareham Board of Health. 

On Sunday, July 5, Water Pollution Control Facility crews were working to unclog the pumps at the station at the end of the Stonebridge in Onset. 

While they worked, the level in the wet well rose and needed to be released. The crews turned on both pumps, instead of just one (which is the usual practice), and up to 2,500 gallons of sewage overflowed into the bay.

All beaches within Onset Bay were closed as a precautionary measure.

While the beaches have since reopened, there is still a temporary ban on shellfishing within Onset Bay and Sunset Cove. This is according to a post on the Department of Natural Resource’s Facebook page, published at 3:10 p.m. on July 8.

According to Guy Campinha, the director of the WPCF,  the clog crews were working on was the result of people flushing baby wipes and cleaning wipes down the toilet, which they are not supposed to do.

Campinha said that the flushing of cleaning wipes has been an increasing problem in recent months during the pandemic.