S.C. health officials testing parts of Catawba River after major sewage spill

South Carolina health officials could know as early as Wednesday the results of some pollution tests done on water from areas along the Catawba River.

The tests were needed after a huge sewage spill in Mecklenburg County. Sewage spilled into Kings Branch in south Charlotte last Friday. Kings Branch is a tributary to Sugar Creek in the Catawba River watershed. Sugar Creek flows into the main stem of the Catawba River.

As of Tuesday, the spill amount had been raised from 180,000 to 200,000 gallons, according to the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation. According to the group, no “do not drink” or “boil water” advisories have been released.

Drinking water utilities have not indicated a problem.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control began testing water samples Tuesday at Riverwalk in Rock Hill, Landsford Canal State Park and the Catawba Indian Nation landings, said Adrianna Bradley, DHEC public information officer. The laboratory results take at least 24 hours. The sites all connect directly to the Catawba River.

According to a statement Tuesday from South Carolina DHEC, the agency “has performed modeling which indicates that the spill, which originated in N.C., passed downstream of the Landsford Canal and Catawba Indian Reservation landings by last evening.”

The department also put up notices warning people about the possibility of polluted water downstream. Notices at those spots will be removed when results indicate the water is safe, according to DHEC.

Areas upstream of where the spill entered the Catawba River, such as the Fort Mill dam and Riverwalk in Rock Hill, were unaffected, said Sam Perkins with the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation.

People were able to enjoy kayaking, fishing and floating in those areas over the weekend.

However, areas downstream from the spill site were affected.

DHEC said Tuesday: “Out of an abundance of caution, DHEC provided information regarding the sewage spill to Landsford Canal State Park and Catawba Indian Nation Landing so recreational users could make an informed decision.”

Warnings were posted at Landsford Canal and the Catawba Indian Nation access points. No warnings were posted over the weekend at Riverwalk in Rock Hill.

DHEC officials said Riverwalk is upstream and unaffected. However, a notice was posted late Monday.

DHEC officials said: “The Riverwalk was not posted on Saturday, based on information received about the area that indicated that the Riverwalk (Rock Hill) access point was upstream and unaffected. However, based on additional information received on Monday, the Riverwalk has been posted.”

Perkins said warnings should have been posted at Riverwalk during the weekend to ensure users do not go downstream.

“Bacteria is a skin contact issue,” he said. “It can make you sick in a number of different ways, and this whole incident really reveals a communication breakdown because of things like a communications person saying Riverwalk doesn’t need a sign because it’s upstream.”

People who used waters downstream of the spill should pay attention to any infected wounds or gastrointestinal issues and should consult their doctor regarding any health concerns, Perkins said.

The spill was one of the largest in recent memory, due to the wide diameter of the pipe affected, said Jennifer Frost, public affairs manager at Charlotte Water.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality was notified of the spill nine hours after Charlotte Water learned of it, said Marla Sink, public information officer for the DEQ. Under North Carolina law, Charlotte Water had 24 hours to report the spill, Sink said.

Charlotte Water learned of the spill at 7:20 a.m. Friday, and by 4-6 p.m. the agency had the spill stopped, Sink said.

The pipe that caused the spill is no longer leaking, but the sewage already spilled into the river has not been stopped from flowing downstream, according to the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation.

“At this point, there needs to be a better idea of where the sewage is moving downstream and it needs to be confirmed that the water quality will be okay for people to use,” Perkins said.

This was Charlotte Water’s largest sewage spill in the Catawba basin in recent years, according to the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation. Two spills, each listed at 183,500 gallons, were reported in 2011 and 2014.

This story was originally published July 18, 2017 at 12:48 PM with the headline "S.C. health officials testing parts of Catawba River after major sewage spill."