Bellingham’s Bloedel-Donovan beach opens following recent sewage spill that forced closure
Bloedel-Donovan Park’s waterfront is free from contamination, Bellingham officials said Tuesday.
“Recent water quality testing has confirmed that bacteria levels in the lake have returned to safe levels for recreational use. The beach will be open to the public for swimming, hand launching boats, and other activities,” Public Works Department spokeswoman Riley Grant said.
City officials issued a no-contact order on Sept. 11 after 25,000 to 50,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into Lake Whatcom when workers struck a sewer line during repairs on the Electric Avenue bridge.
Grant said that the city’s drinking water was not affected because the water treatment plant intake is located over a mile upstream from the site of the spill.
Lake Whatcom is the drinking water source for about 100,000 Bellingham-area residents.
