Posted: Wednesday, July 8, 2015
RANDLEMAN, NC
About 250,000 gallons of untreated sewage is bobbing in a North Carolina river after a burst pipe went undetected for about five hours.
The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources said Wednesday the ruptured pipe near Randleman's city wastewater plant allowed untreated sewage from homes and businesses to flow into the Deep River.
DENR spokesman Jamie Kritzer said
the pipe ruptured at about 1 a.m. Wednesday but the city didn't
discover it until five hours later. Randleman businesses were forced to
shut down until repairs are completed.
DENR Assistant Secretary Tom
Reeder says there hasn't been any impact to fish or downstream drinking
water supplies reported. The closest public water systems are 70 miles
or more downstream.