Sewer Line Break in Pine Creek Identified

During the summer, Three Rivers Waterkeeper samples popular recreation sites along our rivers for E. coli. Baseline sampling like this helps us understand what our waterways typically look like, allowing us to hone in on hot spots of high E. coli levels. This sampling helped us identify a broken sewer line in Pine Creek, which was contributing to recurring high E. coli colony levels downstream.

In May 2026, Three Rivers Waterkeeper started sampling Pine Creek for E. coli (behind Doughtery Veteran’s Field in Etna, PA) as a weekly sampling site for our 2026 Swim Guide Program.

After a few weeks of sampling, we observed extremely high recurring levels of E. coli compared to the rest of our samples. Our data showed high levels of E. coli in both dry and wet weather conditions.

Investigating further, we collected additional samples along Pine Creek, upstream from our normal sampling location. The data revealed a high spike of E. coli colonies in between the Doughtery Trail location and “Burger King Falls.”

Most of our samples on Pine Creek were relatively low in E. coli levels, ranging from 0 to 10 colonies. However, we documented a very large increase in the number of E.coli colonies starting at Industrial Machine Works (IMW). This indicates the source issue is upstream from IMW but below “Burger King Falls” where levels were relatively low. This led us to investigate this area of creek further. After walking the creek, we discovered a stark discoloration in the water and observed pieces of toilet paper and solids flowing downstream.

On July 23, 2026, we gathered our data and reached out to ALCOSAN about the recurrent E. coli issue we documented in Pine Creek. 

Since reporting our findings, ALCOSAN crews responded, and they identified a break in a sewer line. ALCOSAN began bypass pumping to stop sewage from entering the stream. They are working on repairing the issue, and we will keep you updated when we know more.