A malfunctioning valve sent thousands of gallons of untreated sewage flowing onto six homeowners' lawns Tuesday night along Route 999 in Manor Township.

Sewage from a Lancaster Area Sewer Authority manhole escaped to the surface for about 4 ½ hours, LASA said.

Escaping sewage from the 30-inch line wasn't stemmed until about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, and residents along the 3000 block of the road, also known as Blue Rock Road, west of Millersville, awoke to a stinky coating of gunk on their lawns.

The manhole is located on the crest of a hill and sewage flowed down both sides of the road and into a farm field, LASA said.

LASA said a "very little" portion of the sewage entered a small tributary to Little Conestoga Creek. No fish kills were observed, and a water sample taken by a state Department of Environmental Protection official at about noon Wednesday came back normal, Mike Kyle, LASA executive director, said this morning.

LASA workers raked sewage residue from lawns on Wednesday and spread lime to cover the smell.

Several homeowners expressed fears about contaminated private wells. LASA has offered to pay to have samples taken by residents who want them. Two have requested such tests so far, Kyle said.

The sewage was en route to LASA's sewage-treatment plant near Washington Boro.

The valve that failed was supposedly a corrosion-resistant one that did corrode and fail, Kyle said.

New valves and other equipment have been ordered to prevent a future sewage spill, he said.

LASA serves about 30,000 residents and businesses in East Petersburg and Mountville boroughs, as well as residents and businesses in East Hempfield, Manheim, Lancaster, Manor and West Hempfield townships.

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