CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Water officials said a bypass pump trying to help clean up 15 million gallons of sewage that spilled last week, failed on Sunday.
Officials said the pump's failure caused 27,000 gallons of wastewater to spill. The spill lasted for about 40 minutes until crews were able to fix the pipe.
Charlotte Water officials have been checking the operation more frequently since the spill.
“Charlotte Water has had a lot of crews out there working constantly,” Catawba Riverkeeper Sam Perkins said. “They want this fixed as much as anyone else who might be downstream on Lake Wylie trying to enjoy the water.”
Perkins hopes the no-swim advisory in effect for part of Long Creek and Lake Wylie will be lifted by this weekend.
The advisory was put into effect last week after a 30-inch pipe broke sending 15 million gallons of sewage into Long Creek, which flows into Lake Wylie and the Catawba River.
Rock Hill officials added extra chlorine to the water to kill any extra bacteria.
The city of Belmont is also watching bacteria levels in the water.
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