News
July 2, 2009
Humans, Not Worms, Cause Of Greater Concern For City Sewers
Recently, a video of what are believed to be tubifex worms in a private sewer line near Cameron Village became an overnight sensation, prompting media inquiries from as far away as London and generating more than three million hits on YouTube. At 8 a.m. on Wednesday, the City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department responded to a far more frequent, far more familiar, and far more damaging invader.
Vandals removed a sanitary sewer manhole and dropped a six to eight inch rock into the opening. The rock blocked the invert and caused an estimated 16,800 gallons of sewage to spill into an unnamed tributary of Perry Creek. The manhole is located behind 8801 Capital Boulevard.
City staff responded to the overflow at 8 a.m. corrected the problem by 8:30 a.m. City crews have also cleaned up the spill. It is estimated the overflow occurred for approximately four hours and the City has filed a police report. The City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department employs more than 200 individuals and staffs multiple shifts to address problems such as these.
The City of Raleigh has an aggressive education and enforcement program to prevent the discharge of grease and placement of other improper materials in the sewer system and to take enforcement action where appropriate. Only water, human waste and toilet paper are permitted to be discharged into the sewer system.
This news release is required by NCGS Article 21, Chapter 143.215.C. For more information, contact Public Utilities Director Dale Crisp or Assistant Public Utilities Director Donna Jackson at 857-4540.
Prepared by:
Jayne Kirkpatrick
Director
Public Affairs Department
For More Information Contact:
Dale Crisp
Director
Public Utilities Department
One Exchange Plaza, Suite 620
Raleigh, NC 27602
919-857-4540
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