The city of Amsterdam is being told by state officials to begin upgrading its aging sewer system in the wake of a large municipal sewage spill in the Mohawk River.

The Albany Times-Union says (http://bit.ly/1JNE5EJ ) it appears a 24-million-gallon spill of untreated sewage continued for eight consecutive days in December 2013. But it was reported by the state Department of Environmental Conservation as zero gallons under a 2013 state spill reporting law meant to protect the public from health risks linked to contact with contaminated water.

At least two towns in the Albany area use the river for drinking water.

The spill was caused by broken pump stations.

DEC says a state form used by Amsterdam to report the spill showed the amount as blank because of a clerical error.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.