A sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) is ongoing Tuesday, December 17, following a break in a 24-inch force main near One Tree Hill Way off of 23rd Street in the vicinity of EUE / Screen Gems Studios.
CFPUA staff and contractors’ crews are currently at the scene working to stop the overflow.
Crews installed a bypass to try to divert the untreated wastewater flows from the damaged pipe. Wastewater not diverted by the bypass was entering a stormwater drain.
Crews were using a vacuum truck to capture as much of that wastewater as possible for transport to CFPUA’s Northside Wastewater Treatment Plant. Much of the remaining wastewater in the storm drain appeared to be flowing to a wet well onsite that is part of CFPUA’s wastewater collection system, but a small amount appeared to be making its way to Smith Creek.
The amount of wastewater released as a result of the SSO has not yet been determined.
CFPUA Environmental Management staff are conducting water quality testing and initial results are expected in the next 24 hours. The incident has been reported to the N.C. Division of Water Quality.