Wipes, paper cause sewage to spill into Gwinnett creek tributary

More than 5,800 gallons of sewage spilled from a manhole in Norcross on Thursday due to wipes and other debris, the Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources said.

The leak started around 11:25 a.m. on  Meadowbrook Drive and was stopped by 1 p.m. Some of the sewage got into an unnamed tributary of Jackson Creek, a department spokeswoman said.

The department raked the area and spread lime to mitigate the effects of the spill. Signs were also posted to notify residents. Exposure to raw sewage can cause illnesses and bacterial infections including E. coli.