9.3 Million Gallons of Untreated Wastewater Spill in North Carolina
Approximately 9.3 million gallons of untreated wastewater spilled from a sewer manhole on Nov. 12, according to a release from the city of Greensboro, North Carolina, reported Greensboro News & Record.
The manhole was located at the North Buffalo Pump Station at 2199 White St. About 3.8 million gallons from the spill entered North Buffalo Creek, which is a tributary of the Cape Fear River basin, said the city in the release.
The discharge of wastewater occurred for approximately 3 hours, reported the city. The massive spill is attributed to a failure of the primary and backup power supply at the plant, according to the release.
Flooding, power outages and more than four inches of rain affected Greensboro on Nov. 12-13.
The Cape Fear River basin covers more than 9,300 square miles, making it the state's largest.
Just two weeks earlier, there was a discharge of 2,000 gallons of untreated wastewater from a sewer main located at 2518 Glen Meadow Drive.
According to the city, the discharge of wastewater happened for about five hours due to an accumulation of debris in a 8 inch size sewer main.
This untreated wastewater entered Lake Jeanette, which is a tributary of the Cape Fear River basin.
To stop the flow, the main was stopped by using a hand tool to prevent further discharge. Several fire hydrants were opened as well for freshwater to flush the creek and lime was spread on ground surface areas, added the city.
What's more, Gov. Roy Cooper announced a state of emergency for North Carolina on Nov. 14 as the flooding threat from Hurricane Eta continued.