East Lyme beaches reopen after sewage spill

EAST LYME, Conn. (WTNH) — It's safe to swim at East Lyme beaches again after a sewage spill totaling 15,000 to 20,000 gallons shut them down.

"Everything's okay," said Joseph Aseltine, beach-goer.

Are you glad to hear that," asked News 8's Tina Detelj

Yeah it's been a pretty nice day so far," said Aseltine.

Now the Hole in the Wall beach, along with four other swimming holes in East Lyme got the clean bill of health. Concerns rose when a computer glitch at a pump station failed and waste in a well was sent onto the street.

News 8 is told more than 15,000 gallons of sewage came up through the manhole cover and then flowed into the nearby catch basins. Just on the other side of the railroad tracks there is Niantic Bay.

The mishap didn't bury Ryan Knoechelman's plans. The latest water tests came up clean.

"It was a little chilly, but it's nice to be able to if you want to," said Knoechelman.

And come this weekend many will want to take a dip, especially with the annual Celebrate East Lyme day on tap.

"It wouldn't be the same to have the beaches closed, you know, it's kind of a gloomy outside to it," said Jack Giuliano, Giuliano's Bakery.

However, the sun will shine on the beaches and this event, Giuliano's Bakery is hoping to start a new tradition to rival Coney Island's hot dog eating contest.

In Niantic they'll be woofing down the Monster.

"It has like four pieces of bacon, three pieces of sausage, three pieces of ham, two eggs, a rib eye steak, and two pieces of cheese," Giuliano said.

Whoever eats the most in 15 minutes gets a t-shirt, $500, and possibly a belly ache. However, it won't be because of the water.