South Jersey creek monitored after sewage spill

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP — A power outage and sewage spill has led to a caution about drinking water from South Jersey's Big Timber Creek.

The Camden County Health Department and the state Department of Environmental Protection issued a warning to not swim, drink, fish, or eat fish out of the creek until at least Tuesday, following a 90-minute power outage at a pump station next to the creek on Sunday afternoon.

The pump house was working normally again after the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority had the system flushed.

Drinking water is not affected by the spill.

The DEP, CCMUA, and Health Department will monitor the creek and tributaries over the next several weeks.

Towns that have tributaries of the creek include Gloucester Township, Camden City, Runnemede, Bellmawr, Audubon Park and Mt. Ephraim.

Big Timber Creek was designated one of the most polluted bodies of water in the state by the DEP in 1987, according to the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. The quality of the water has greatly improved after pollution created by industry was cleaned out of the water.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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