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DENR responds to Mallard Creek wastewater dumping in Mecklenburg County
Story Date: 2/10/2014
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Source: NCDENR, 2/7/14
Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources regional office staff has joined authorities in responding to the toxic waste dumping that was discovered Thursday at the Mallard Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Mecklenburg County. After receiving a call from North Carolina Emergency Management officials late Thursday night, staff from DENR’s Mooresville Regional Office arrived on scene about 1:30 a.m. Friday.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utility Department officials confirmed an intentional illegal dumping of toxic waste (including trichlorobenzene and PCBs) into the sewer system that impacted the Mallard Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant on U.S. 29 North.
“The chemicals that were present in this unauthorized flow would have been very damaging to both the Mallard Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and the environment had they been released,” said Tom Reeder, director of the N.C. Division of Water Resources. “I applaud the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities Department in their efforts to properly contain these materials and to resolve this situation.”
The problem was first detected around noon Thursday. CMUD immediately took the plant off-line and began capturing and containing the contaminated wastewater within the plant.
Local officials report that there has been no risk to the public, and that the plant was placed back online shortly before 5 a.m. Friday.
As a precaution, local officials are advising people to avoid human or animal contact with Mallard Creek and the Rocky River in Cabarrus County until more testing is completed. Downstream residents along the Rocky River in Cabarrus, Union and Anson counties have been notified.
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