80,000 gallons of waste spill into Cape Fear
By From staff reports
Published in News on February 10, 2016 1:46 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- Approximately 80,000 gallons of untreated waste from the town's sewer plant entered the headwaters of the North East Cape Fear River as the result of a weekend sewer spill.
The spill occurred from a manhole number inside the Town's waste water treatment plant at 408 Wilkins Farm Road
The discharge was first discovered at 5 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 5, and lasted until approximately 10:30 a.m. before being brought under control by the town's sewer collection and waster water treatment plant personnel.
The spill occurred as a result of more than three inches of moderate to heavy rain fall within a two-day period and a malfunctioning bypass pump.
A secondary factor was inflow from a four-inch sewer line that was not capped off during a building demolition.
House Bill 1160, which the General Assembly enacted in July 1999, requires those municipalities, animal operations, industries and others who operate waste handling systems issue news releases when a waste spill of 1,000 gallons or more reaches surface waters.
The town issued a press release concerning the spill as required by state law.
For more information, contact Town Manager Charles Brown at 919-658-9539.