WILMINGTON — On Saturday tens of thousands of sanitary untreated wastewater overflowed onto North College Road, escaping into a nearby creek.
The event happened on Dec. 6, as crews with Cape Fear Public Utility Authority responded around 12:30 p.m. to the 4600 block of North College Road. They located a 12-inch-diameter sewer force main had failed, causing the sanitary sewer overflow.
An estimated 18,791 gallons of untreated wastewater escaped into nearby Prince George’s Creek. CFPUA worked with Pender County Utilities staff to close valves upstream and downstream in order to isolate the break. Overflow stopped around 1:30 p.m. and emergency repairs were made, with service returning normally by 8:15 p.m.
CFPUA has notified the N.C. Division of Emergency Management and staff are conducting cleanup efforts and water quality sampling throughout the affected area.
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