Crews Work to Contain Sewer Leak in Green Bay's East River

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Northeast Wisconsin Water is working to clean up a sewer leak that began on Thursday evening during maintenance work in Green Bay. The initial leak was estimated at 2,200 gallons, but further investigation found additional leaks totaling around 8,650 gallons across six sites, with roughly 2,200 gallons entering the East River. Cleanup efforts are ongoing despite the frozen conditions.

Why it matters

Sewer leaks can pose environmental and public health risks, especially when they enter waterways like the East River. The city's Department of Public Works has partnered with Northeast Wisconsin Water to quickly respond and contain the spill, highlighting the importance of interagency cooperation for infrastructure maintenance and emergency response.

The details

The initial sewer leak was discovered just after 6 p.m. on Thursday and was estimated to be around 2,200 gallons. Officials initially thought the leak had been stopped within an hour, but further inspection found additional leaks at six different sites. In total, around 8,650 gallons of wastewater were released, with 2,200 gallons entering the East River. Cleanup efforts have involved removing over 12,000 gallons of snow melt, wastewater, and rinse water.

• The sewer leak was first discovered just after 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 13, 2026.
• Officials initially estimated the leak was stopped within an hour, but later discovered additional leaks.
• Cleanup efforts were paused on Thursday night due to frozen conditions and resumed on Friday morning.

What’s next

Officials noted that a preliminary assessment has been completed, and they will continue working to fully clean up the spill and investigate the cause of the multiple leaks.