Rain caused sewer spill
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on November 21, 2006 1:45 PM
MOUNTOLIVE -- With nearly five inches of rain falling in about five hours last Thursday, Mount Olive's sewer system was unable to keep pace, spilling nearly 350,000 gallons of wastewater out of a manhole leading to the wastewater treatment plant.
"The actual pipe coming into the plant just couldn't handle all the water coming through," public works supervisor Jammie Royall said.
Even though the spilled wastewater did reach surface waters, officials do not believe there was any significant environmental impact.
"I think the rain actually diluted everything enough so it didn't harm anything," Royall said.
He said he doesn't anticipate any more problems this week, despite several inches of rain forecasted.
Royall noted that improvements to the treatment plant should help prevent future such spills.