Days after flood waters from a broken Pajaro River levee inundated their homes, evacuated residents of the tiny Monterey County community of Pajaro now must contend with a new threat preventing their return.
Among its other impacts, flooding from the broken levee on the night of March 10 damaged a sewer main that serves the community, and repairs are needed before residents can return home.
The pressurized pipeline serves customers of the Pajaro County Sanitation District, which includes Pajaro, Bay Farms, Fruitland Avenue and Las Lomas.
More than 2,000 residents of Pajaro were forced to evacuate when the levee burst, and there was no timetable as of Monday for when they will be allowed back.
Emergency repairs to the pipe were made but permanent repairs are still needed, according to a news release from the Monterey County Department of Public Works.
The sewer main carries sewage about 2 miles from a nearby pump station to the Watsonville Wastewater treatment plant at 500 Clearwater Lane. It was damaged near the Highway 1 bridge.
A dozen sewage pumping trucks are being utilized while repairs are being made to continuously move wastewater directly to the treatment facility.
Repairs are expected to be completed by the end of the week, according to the public works department.