Rain blamed for 500,000-gallon wastewater spill

CAROLINA SHORES, NC (WWAY) — Brunswick County says the weekend’s heavy rain led to a 500,000-gallon wastewater spill in Carolina Shores.

According to a news release, the 23 inches of rain in the Carolina Shores area led to a discharge of rainwater, partially treated wastewater and untreated wastewater from the plant equalization basin at the Brunswick County Public Utilities owned and operated Carolina Shores Wastewater Treatment Plant at 1 County Way in Carolina Shores.

BCPU says intermittent discharge began Friday and continued through Monday. The discharge was caused by flooding of collection systems in the area from all the rain.

The utility believes the discharge reached receiving waters designated as an unnamed tributary to Persimmon Swamp in the Lumber River Basin over the four-day period.