RALEIGH -- RALEIGH -- Recent spills from a broken sewage system in northern Wake County are only the latest in a string of malfunctions and violations at the pump station, state records show.
The failed system, which treats five neighborhoods near the Durham County border, spewed more than 60,000 gallons of untreated waste this month into a tributary that leads to Falls Lake.
The station has since been repaired, and cleanup is under way, according to Aqua N.C., the company that owns the station.
Inspection records and spill reports from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources detail a history of problems at the pump:
A September 2009 inspection found that the back-up pump was not operational.
Three months ago, Aqua reported the entire system was rebuilt and new pumps were installed in the lift station.
On April 20 inspectors discovered that the system's emergency generator was not working. Aqua was instructed to repair the generator. It's unclear whether that happened.
Attempts to contact the Aqua spokeswoman for comment were unsuccessful.
The waste water treatment plant has five collection systems in the Falls Lake basin from which Raleigh pulls its drinking water.
The pathogens in untreated sewage can cause serious illnesses. Untreated waste water can contain bacteria, viruses and parasites. Waterborne diseases include hepatitis and salmonella.
The pair of spills this month were the largest at the 9-year-old station, known as the Hawthorne plant.
On June 8, a main pump and a backup failed, releasing 50,000 gallons of raw sewage into a tributary of Upper Barton Creek.
An alarm system designed to warn the owner about malfunctions also failed.
On June 11, the replacement pump failed, sending 10,000 gallons into the tributary.
History of spills
They were at least the fourth and fifth spills at the plant.
The first spill, in 2004, resulted in 5,000 gallons discharged from a manhole east of Victory Church Road. The sewage did not reach a body of water and was caused by grease buildup in the system, according to a report from the DENR.
In May 2007, 1,000 gallons leaked but did not flow to surface water.
In June 2007, a clogged manhole caused 10,000 gallons to spill from Hawthorne. Half of it flowed into Upper Barton Creek.
Worrisome fish kill
The spills this month killed about 50 fish, a significant figure for the small tributary, said Danny Smith, a DENR spokesman.
That prompted a violation notice June 16, which outlined what Aqua had to do to return the stream to a condition suitable for aquatic life and bring oxygen levels back to state guidelines to allow fish life to survive.
DENR continues to investigate the incident and is considering whether to levy fines.
"I have very real concerns that (the spill) occurred - and that it happened again," Smith said. "That is not in keeping with what [DENR is] expecting."
