NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 13, 2000

TREE ROOTS INVADE SEWER, CAUSE SPILL

CARY, NC – Invading roots from a nearby tree causes a 2959-gallon sanitary sewage spill on Monday morning at 108 Duryer Court in Cary. Untreated waste escaped from a manhole and reached an unnamed tributary leading to MacGregor Lake. No waste reached the lake and no fish-kill has been observed. Repair crews installed a temporary dam to keep the waste from traveling downstream, limed and flushed the affected area, and pumped the waste back into the municipal system.

As trees age, their roots often grow towards, around, and, as in this case, through sewer lines. To better combat this problem, the Town of Cary is seeking additional Public Works positions in this year’s proposed budget.

The Clean Water Act adopted last summer by the State Legislature requires a news release be issued by public works operators whenever a wastewater spill of 1,000 gallons or greater reaches surface waters.

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