Cape Charles pump station failure causes sewage backup

The Town of Cape Charles has closed several streets after the Mason Avenue Pump Station went out of service Friday evening, causing raw sewage to back up into roadways and sidewalks.

According to an update issued at 8:09 p.m. Friday, the sewage backup has affected the area of Mason Avenue, Harbor Avenue and Bay Avenue.

Town officials are asking residents to avoid the area. Mason Avenue, Harbor Avenue and Bay Avenue within the affected area have been closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic until further notice.

Virginia American Water crews are on site working to restore service and complete repairs. Officials said repairs are expected to take several hours.

Residents are also being asked to refrain from flushing toilets whenever possible while repairs are underway. Officials said reducing the amount of wastewater entering the system will help minimize additional backups and allow crews to restore service more quickly.

The town thanked residents for their patience and cooperation as crews work to resolve the issue.