Pipe leak spilling raw sewage into New York's Hudson River is fixed

YONKERS, N.Y. -- A broken pipe that sent millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Hudson River north of New York city has been fixed, officials said Sunday.

But they warned boaters, water skiers and divers to remain out of the water through Monday. People who come in contact with the river water could end up with gastrointestinal problems.

The 48-inch pipe broke Friday afternoon, ruptured by a tree that came loose during a landslide.

By Sunday morning, workers had created a bypass to keep sewage from leaking out of the pipe, said Mary Landrigan, a spokeswoman for the Westchester County Department of Health.

But the repairs took longer than expected, with 7.5 million gallons of sewage spilling, so the health warnings remained in effect, she said.

She stressed that drinking water was not affected by the problem, and added that the volume of water in the Hudson would dissipate the sewage within days.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)