Willard Beach will remain closed due to wastewater contamination
Willard Beach in South Portland will remain closed to the public due to wastewater contamination.
Tests of runoff water taken near the stormwater pipe on Tuesday showed higher than acceptable levels of contamination, according to Shara Dee, a spokesperson for the city.
The beach was closed down last Thursday after a force main pipe burst, contaminating the area. A force main pipe is a pressurized sewage pipe.
The break was repaired on Friday, but the area was still somewhat contaminated on Tuesday and swimming has been prohibited out of an abundance of caution.
An influx of rain water may be influencing the testing data, and water quality is expected to stabilize within the next few days and tidal cycles.