thedrifter
11-21-07, 06:34 AM
Base spills sewage into Northeast Creek
JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF
About 500,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled from the Tarawa Terrace area at Camp Lejeune on Monday evening, and at least 100,000 gallons poured into Northeast Creek, according to base and state officials.
The waters are closed to shellfishing from the north shore of the New River at Grey Point to the south shore of the New River north of Goose Creek, as directed by the director of the Division of Marine Fisheries and the state health director.
A lift station malfunction near the old Tarawa Terrace wastewater treatment plant caused the spill, which was discovered at about 7:15 p.m. Monday, according to a Camp Lejeune press release. The spill stopped at about 7:20 p.m.
Crews disinfected the area with lime and are sampling nearby water to monitor the water quality, according to the press release. No base residential housing area water supplies were impacted and the malfunction is under investigation.
New River keeper Brian Wheat called the spill "inexcusable."
The base has alarm systems and should have been able to stop the spill before it became one of the largest in recent history, he said.
Still, the estimate of 100,000 gallons of raw sewage into the river that the base gave state officials is likely a conservative estimate, Wheat said.
Because of the low flow in the creek, "there's a very good chance some fish will die," he said.
The timing of the spill also is unfortunate, Wheat said, since it is the peak of oyster harvesting season and many people are out fishing for speckled trout.
"There were boats everywhere today," said Wheat, who was out on the river himself when he learned of the spill. "There are fishermen everywhere."
Contact military reporter Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, ext. 8467. To comment on this story, visit www.jdnews.com.
Ellie
JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF
About 500,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled from the Tarawa Terrace area at Camp Lejeune on Monday evening, and at least 100,000 gallons poured into Northeast Creek, according to base and state officials.
The waters are closed to shellfishing from the north shore of the New River at Grey Point to the south shore of the New River north of Goose Creek, as directed by the director of the Division of Marine Fisheries and the state health director.
A lift station malfunction near the old Tarawa Terrace wastewater treatment plant caused the spill, which was discovered at about 7:15 p.m. Monday, according to a Camp Lejeune press release. The spill stopped at about 7:20 p.m.
Crews disinfected the area with lime and are sampling nearby water to monitor the water quality, according to the press release. No base residential housing area water supplies were impacted and the malfunction is under investigation.
New River keeper Brian Wheat called the spill "inexcusable."
The base has alarm systems and should have been able to stop the spill before it became one of the largest in recent history, he said.
Still, the estimate of 100,000 gallons of raw sewage into the river that the base gave state officials is likely a conservative estimate, Wheat said.
Because of the low flow in the creek, "there's a very good chance some fish will die," he said.
The timing of the spill also is unfortunate, Wheat said, since it is the peak of oyster harvesting season and many people are out fishing for speckled trout.
"There were boats everywhere today," said Wheat, who was out on the river himself when he learned of the spill. "There are fishermen everywhere."
Contact military reporter Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, ext. 8467. To comment on this story, visit www.jdnews.com.
Ellie