ELIZABETHTOWN, NC — Public works officials in Elizabethtown issued a public notification regarding an untreated wastewater discharge estimated at up to 10,000 gallons near the intersection of Jones Street and Williams Street.
Utility crews traced the discharge to manholes 649 and 657. Officials estimated the leak went undetected for approximately 336 hours, beginning between October 14 and October 28, before being discovered. Upon discovery, crews contained the active discharge within three hours.
Incident Overview and Response
The untreated wastewater entered an unnamed tributary approximately 900 feet upstream from Browns Creek.
The release involved an estimated volume of up to 10,000 gallons originating from the utility system near Jones and Williams streets. Municipal crews acted immediately to stop the flow once manholes 649 and 657 were identified as the discharge points.
Environmental and River Basin Impact
Browns Creek drains into the Cape Fear River, moving water downstream southeast through Bladen, Pender, Brunswick, and New Hanover counties. Under N.C.G.S. 143-215.1C, municipal spills exceeding 1,000 gallons require state notification and public disclosure.
State environmental officials monitored downstream water quality, and local recreational users were advised to observe standard health advisories.
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