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Sewage Flows into Patapsco River From Ellicott City Rains

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ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (AP) - Environmental officials say millions of gallons of sewage have flowed in the Patapsco River after a line broke during flooding in Ellicott City.

Jay Apperson is a spokesman for the Department of the Environment. He tells The Baltimore Sunthat about 5 million gallons per day of sewage have poured into the Sucker Branch tributary of the Patapsco.

Apperson says the break came in Ellicott City when the town took on 6.5 inches of water within hours Saturday night. The broken line was not discovered until Tuesday.

Officials say repairs are difficult because the road is washed out. On Wednesday, the Maryland National Guard airlifted equipment to the site.

Anne Arundel County issued a warning against direct contact with the Patapsco from Howard County to Baltimore.

911 Calls

Credit Don Rush

Officials released 911 calls made by Ellicott City residents during the recent flash flood.

Media outlets report the calls highlight the fear people felt as 6.5 inches of rain fell Saturday in about two hours.

Several buildings were completely destroyed, and the flooding is blamed for the deaths of two people.

Howard County officials say the county's 911 center received 1,052 calls in a six-hour span - four times the normal call volume.

One woman who called was one of eight people trapped in Bean Hollow Cafe and Roastery. The woman says they were unable to escape because of rushing water and were concerned the building was buckling. The group eventually made it to the building's upper level.

Other callers described how the flooding was sending cars down the street.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.