MLive file photo of manhole cover.Jacob Hamilton

SALINE, MI - About 156,000 gallons of sewage overflowed Tuesday evening throughout the Saline area, officials said.

The spill occurred between 5:45 and 7 p.m., May 3. A power outage is the leading cause in the overflow, officials said.

The sewage overflowed into the Saline River and a storm drain near the City of Saline Wastewater Treatment Plant, officials said, adding that operations have since been restored and the issue is contained, officials said.

This news came a day after Saline City Council approved increases in its water and sewer rates to help fund infrastructure improvements to its wastewater treatment plant. The average increase on quarterly bills per household will be $81, officials said.

This is the second overflow in a matter of days in Washtenaw County, though the other one was much less substantial. A 50-gallon overflow occurred in Augusta Township in the southern part of the county on Monday.

Michigan municipalities are required to report sanitary sewer overflow events per Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy guidance.

Read more from The Ann Arbor News:

Line break causes wastewater spill in Washtenaw County

Water, sewer rates climbing in Saline to support wastewater treatment plant improvements

No tuition increase for local Washtenaw Community College students

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