Mount Olive suffers second sewer spill
By Staff Reports
Published in News on February 14, 2016 1:45 AM
MOUNT OLIVE -- Approximately 108,000 gallons of untreated sewer from the town's sewer plant entered the headwaters of the North East Cape Fear River on Monday, Feb. 8.
It was the second spill in just three days at the town's wastewater treatment plant, 408 Wilkins Farm Road.
In the first spill on Friday, Feb. 5, approximately 80,000 gallons of untreated waste entered the river.
Heavy rains over the weekend are being blamed for the spills
The discharge was first discovered at 8 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 8, and lasted until approximately 5 p.m. before being brought under control by the town's sewer collection and waster water treatment plant personnel.
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.