CFPUA responds to major sewer spill

WILMINGTON, NC (NEWS RELEASE) — CFPUA crews have been cleaning up a waste water spill in Wilmington.

Crews are working to repair a portion of an 18-inch waste water force main along River Road and Barnards Creek. A bypass is being put into place to redirect flow around the affected portion of the pipe. CFPUA says the spill is between 750,000 and 1.4 million gallons, and could have escaped into the New Hanover county Tidal Creek.

Crews continue to investigate exactly how many gallons spilled. The south bound lane of River Road from Independence Boulevard to Sanders Road will be closed overnight because of the temporary bypass line. The road is expected to be open Wednesday morning around 8.

It was first suspected that a spill had occurred when at 1 a.m. on Tuesday, volumes at the Southside Waste Water Treatment Plant showed low volume from the areas supporting pump stations.

Crews immediately responded and began scouring the area for the spill site. The spill was located at approximately 10am and measures immediately taken to eliminate flow through this section of waste water line. Within a very short period of time after the spill was identified and stopped, crews successfully began pumping and hauling the redirected waste water from the nearby pump station. CFPUA Environment and Safety Department also responded and has been in contact with the appropriate local and state agencies; Public Information made contact with area stakeholders to alert them of the incident.

Once all information has been gathered, an update will be provided via email and posted on the Notifications page of our website at www.cfpua.org.