A spill that sent more than 4,300 gallons of sewage into a Gwinnett County stream this week was caused by vandalism, officials said.

The spill was reported around 8:40 a.m. Wednesday at a manhole near 190 Hebron Church Road in Dacula, according to the Department of Water Resources. It took nearly an hour to contain and about 4,320 gallons of sewage flowed into "an unnamed tributary of Hopkins Creek."

"The manhole lid had been removed and yard debris/brush were dumped into the sewerage system, causing a blockage and resulting in the spill," water resources spokeswoman Karen Shields wrote in an email.

Workers raked the area and spread lime, and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division was notified, officials said.

The incident was the second notable spill in Gwinnett in less than a week.

About the Author

Keep Reading

An Atlanta police officer and detective stand in the parking lot of the Vivide nightclub on Marietta Boulevard following a fatal stabbing early Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Blandtown. (Ben Hendren for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Hendren

Featured

Carleigh Knight (left) and her sister, Natalie Rogovin, look at Christmas ornaments while shopping at Kudzu Antiques + Modern in Decatur on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Credit: Natrice Miller