A massive amount of partially treated wastewater was spilled near Massachusetts on Sunday after a circuit breaker failed.
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According to WJAR, 10 million gallons of wastewater bypassed a pump and emptied into Mount Hope Bay between Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
The circuit breaker failed during a storm on Saturday evening.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management said the circuit breaker had been reset and was working properly again.
However, officials closed a significant portion of Mount Hope Bay to give the wind and tides a chance to move the spill out to sea.
Officials specifically warned against digging up quahogs, or hard clams, in the area of the spill.
"We don't want anyone going out into that [area] and digging up quahogs or clams and running the risk of getting some kind of infectious disease from eating those clams," an official told the station.
