Golden Gardens Park closed to swimming, fishing after sewer overflow

Update: The beach reopened to water activity on Monday, July 1. The most recent story can be found here.

Seattle officials are advising beachgoers to stay out of the water at Golden Gardens Park after a sewer overflow in the area.

The spill occurred just north of the beach and sent an estimated 165,000 gallons of sewage into the water, according to the state Department of Ecology. While the city has stopped the overflow, water samples show elevated levels of bacteria.

The overflow was caused by a blockage made up of tree roots and materials like wipes, said Seattle Public Utilities spokeswoman Sabrina Register. Wipes and material other than toilet paper should not be flushed, she said.

Water activities, including swimming and fishing, are banned until samples show the water is safe to contact. The beach is still open, but signs at the park warn people not to go into the water.