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Sewage spill cleanup efforts underway in North Carolina, one day after a ruptured line sent 500K gallons of raw sewage into the Pasquotank River. Thursday, September, 16, 2010.

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Sewage spill cleanup efforts underway in North Carolina, one day after a ruptured line sent 500K gallons of raw sewage into the Pasquotank River. Thursday, September, 16, 2010.

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Sewage spill cleanup efforts underway in North Carolina, one day after a ruptured line sent 500K gallons of raw sewage into the Pasquotank River. Thursday, September, 16, 2010.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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A 30 inch pipe ruptured, causing a large sink hole, at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage entered the Pasquotank River before the City staff could contain it.

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Massive sewage spill in cleanup stage

500K gallons of sewage spills into Pasquotank

Updated: Thursday, 16 Sep 2010, 6:40 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 15 Sep 2010, 3:50 PM EDT

    ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (WAVY) - Cleanup efforts are underway after approximately 500,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into the the Pasquotank River in Elizabeth City Tuesday night.

     

    On Thursday, feet from the Pasquotank River, crews worked at the Elizabeth City Waste Water Treatment plant to repair a broken underground line which cased the sewage spill.

     

    It all started late Tuesday night after a worker noticed a tank was low.

    A team of responders found the broken 30-inch line in about an hour.

    For six more hours, untreated sewage flowed. By 7 a.m. Wednesday, crews stopped sewage from flowing into the river. Later they diverted sewage to another part of the treatment system.

    The 500,000 gallons that escaped, could be gone forever.

    City Manager Rich Olson of Elizabeth City told WAVY.com, "We do have booms out in the river to catch any type of solids that may have escaped from the plant. In all likelihood the untreated water ended up in the river."

    Olson explained most of the raw sewage was in liquid form, and likely mixed in with the river water.

    That is why North Carolina environmental health officials issued a swimming advisory.

    The first test results for bacteria levels will not be known before Friday afternoon. Officials said at that point they will determine if it is safe to lift the advisory.

    Since signs are not posted at public access points, locals are trying to let visitors know what happened.

    Resident Gus Etheridge said, "I told a gentleman this morning, I think [he and his wife] were down here from Maryland - they got in at 2 o'clock last night... I told them and he was very appreciative of that."

    Visitors and residents said they would appreciate not having raw sewage in the water again.

    Olson said the spill likely happened because of a design flaw when the plant went up in 1994. A concrete foundation and a 30-inch pipeline settled at different rates, so crews are adding prevention work to their repair duties.

    According to Olson, "Because of some other settling issues in that part of the plant, while we have the people here driving the pilings, were going to do some work to shore up some other facilities."

    Olson said the total cost of repairs could run $120,000. He said he would have to take a close look at the city budget.

    Repair work is expected to continue through the weekend. However, crews have managed to use pumps so the facility can treat sewage.

     

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