Work on pipe burst that sent 42,000 gallons of sewage into La Crosse River to begin Monday

Work on a sewage pipe that bust Saturday will begin Monday in La Crosse.

An estimated 42,000 gallons of “untreated” sewage went into the La Crosse River, after a force main, which is underground, broke north of Riverside Park, where the La Crosse and Mississippi rivers meet, according to a release by the city’s sanitary sewer utility.

The public has been asked to avoid contact with the area starred on the map.

Apparently, when the pipe pressurized, it burst, sending sewage into the river, which then rose to the surface.

That happened around 12:30 p.m. Saturday. It was stopped about three hours later by closing the valve, diverting the sewage to a second main, which serves the north side of La Crosse.

For questions, contact the city’s utility office at 608.789.7536.