FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Mike McGill
(910) 332-6704
After Hours: (910) 622-8472
mike.mcgill@cfpua.org
communications@cfpua.org
This news release was issued on July 25, 2013, in compliance with North Carolina General Statute 143-251.1C (a portion of the Clean Water Act of 1999). For further information, contact Mike McGill, Chief Communications Officer for the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) at the contact numbers and emails given above.
Wilmington, NC (July 25, 2013): Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) crews responded to and stopped a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) that occurred Wednesday at approximately 11 a.m. along River Road near the intersection of Cathay Road. The SSO was caused when a private telecommunications crew conducting fiberoptic cable installation hit a 10-inch pressurized force main with its boring equipment, creating a hole in the line. The main had been clearly and correctly marked by CFPUA before construction.
CFPUA crews responded quickly to stop the overflow by pumping wastewater from a pump station upstream and hauling it to a nearby line. As a result of their efforts, it is estimated that only one thousand gallons of wastewater reached nearby surface waters. CFPUA Environmental Management staff members have conducted water quality monitoring and preliminary results show minimal impact from the spill. This incident is under further investigation by CFPUA and has been reported to the North Carolina Division of Water Quality.
The damaged force main has been repaired by CFPUA and normal operations are again taking place in the area.
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Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) was formed by the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County to combine their water and sewer operations. It began operations on July 1, 2008. Today, the Authority serves more than 67,000 water customer accounts and more than 63,000 wastewater customer accounts. It oversees more than 1,000 miles of water distribution mains and nearly 1,000 miles of sewer mains. For more information, visit www.cfpua.org or contact CFPUA’s Communications staff at communications@cfpua.org.