Howard County officials have issued a precautionary health alert following a sewage overflow at a Savage water reclamation plant on Thursday night.

Approximately 160,000 gallons of sewage overflowed onto the ground surface at the Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant at around 7 p.m. Thursday, the Howard County Health Department said in a news release Friday.

It is believed the overflow occurred for 28 minutes, according to the Health Department.

“A small amount of flow entered a storm drain, which discharged into the Little Patuxent River. Warning signs have not been posted, as the area is not accessible to the public,” the alert states.

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The county’s Department of Public Works was first notified of a potential overflow by 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The necessary valves were shut off, stopping the overflow.

According to the county website, the plant serves the central part of Howard County, which contains more than half of the county’s population. The area includes Columbia, Savage and North Laurel.

The Maryland Department of the Environment was notified of the sewage overflow. Any questions can be directed to the Howard County Bureau of Utilities at 410-313-4900.