NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) – A broken sewer line in Newport caused state authorities to close three nearby beaches Tuesday, and authorities said it could disrupt wastewater service for roughly 10,000 people.

Fearing some of the sewage could be washed into Narragansett Bay, state health officials closed Easton’s and Newport beaches in Newport and Atlantic Beach in Middletown until it can be repaired.

The information was provided by Dr. David Gifford, director of the Department of Health.

The broken pipeline carries pressurized sewage from Middletown to a wastewater treatment plant in Newport, Middletown Town Administrator Gerry Kempen said. Work crews planned to dig up the pipe Tuesday evening, and authorities asked Middletown residents to avoid flushing their toilets or using their sinks while the work was happening.

Authorities were not sure how long it would take to repair the break.

An average of 2.9 million gallons of sewage flowed through the pipe daily in May, said Julia Forgue, Newport’s director of public works. It wasn’t immediately clear how long the pipe was broken or how much sewage had leaked into the ground.

The break discovered Tuesday appeared to be near where the steel pipe previously broke in May 2005, Kempen said. He said parts of the pipe have corroded because it sits in acidic soil and is exposed to ground and saltwater.

AP-ES-07-11-06 1623EDT