Cape Fear Public Utility Authority crews stopped a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) in the 1700 block of Burnett Boulevard on Friday, May 16.
CFPUA staff received a report at 11:10 a.m. Friday of an SSO on Burnett near South Front Street. Crews arrived at the scene at 11:30 a.m. and discovered that a sewer line was blocked by fats, oil, and grease, causing wastewater to overflow from a manhole. The blockage was cleared and normal flow restored by 11:40 a.m.
Crews used a vacuum truck to capture about 900 gallons of the estimated 1,795 gallons of wastewater that escaped during the SSO. The remaining 895 gallons of wastewater entered two nearby storm drains that empty to Greenfield Creek.
CFPUA Environmental Management staff are conducting water sampling in the area, and the N.C. Division of Water Resources has been notified.
CFPUA reminds customers not to pour fats, oils, and grease down drains or flush any products other than toilet paper. These materials can cause backups and blockages in sewer mains, leading to SSOs.