Failed Pipeline Leaks Approximately 500,000 Gallons of Sewage
A failed pipeline that leaked 500,000 gallons of sewage in Beaufort, North Carolina, has weakened due to exposure to saltwater, according to Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority.
The leak was in close proximity of the failed pipe to Battery Creek, so the majority of the spill was unrecoverable, reported The Beaufort Gazette.
The release of most of the sewage into the creek caused fecal coliform to rise above recommended levels on Jan. 31 based on test results of water samples, according to BJWSA spokesperson Pam Flasch. This resulted in the state Department of Environmental Health and Control (DHEC) issuing an emergency order closing shellfish harvesting.
Fecal coliform had returned to acceptable levels by Feb. 1 and additional samples were collected for testing Feb. 2. A resident of the area reported an odor on Jan. 31 and authorities discovered that the 16 inch sewer main crossing under a tidal ditch had failed, which caused the spill.
Repairs involved replacing close to 60 feet of pipeline of the tidal ditch and the ultimate cause of the pipeline failure was exposure to saltwater. A large storm drain is located over the pipeline and the discharge from that drain caused soil erosion, so the sewage pipeline was directly exposed to saltwater, accelerating corrosion and causing the failure.
BJWSA workers spent Feb. 2 and 3 morning working on repairs, so the pipeline repair was completed by 4 a.m. Feb. 2, but site restoration work will continue for the remainder of the week, reported The Beaufort Gazette.
BJWSA notified DHEC of the leak because of a requirement to do so for spills of at least 5,000 gallons.
Jessie White of the Coastal Conservation League said in general the group supports policies that that ensure development does not occur where it causes strain on existing infrastructure, and the group also backs storm water drainage facilities that mimic natural drainage.
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