All Tomales Bay shellfish growing areas have been temporarily closed by state regulators following a recent sewage spill into Olema Creek, Marin County officials announced Wednesday.
The sewage spill was reported Friday at the Olema House hotel and Due West tavern along state Highway 1 south of Tomales Bay. The county said in a press release that its Environmental Health Services staff discovered a septic system leak and drainage pipe connected to the creek, and the leak was promptly capped.
According to the county, the California Department of Public Health on Monday closed all shellfish growing areas and wet storage intakes at Tomales Bay, and follow-up sampling will be conducted in Olema Creek to confirm bacteria levels have returned to safe levels. The county’s press release said there have been “no reports of adverse effects on people or wildlife in the area.”
Tomales Bay in West Marin is famous among oyster lovers and is home to seafood companies like Hog Island Oyster Co., which has locations at San Francisco’s Ferry Building and elsewhere around the Bay Area.
Hog Island officials said that after being notified of the leak, the company immediately stopped harvesting and shipping shellfish in Tomales Bay and returned that morning’s harvest to the water. As a precaution, the company is also withdrawing any shellfish harvested from its Tomales Bay sites between Sept. 14 and Monday.
“The health and safety of our customers has always been our highest priority,” Hog Island CEO John Finger said in a statement. “Although the release occurred many miles from our farm, the state’s management plan exists for exactly this kind of situation, and we’re following it fully. We’re working closely with CDPH and will resume harvesting only when every required safety standard has been met.”
The county said further inspections and repairs of the entire septic system that leaked are expected to occur this week.
“Thanks to the National Park Service for reporting the issue during their routine monitoring of Olema Creek, our team for quickly containing it and Due West owners for ensuring it is corrected,” Greg Pirie, county deputy director of environmental health services, said in a statement. “This also serves an important reminder for property owners, businesses and residents to routinely check their septic systems ahead of the upcoming storm season.”
