sewage discharged to Lake Norman during the afternoon of June 21, 2011
at Town Harbour Road in Cornelius. The spill was caused by a broken
valve in a sewer line on Windy Point Drive off Town Harbour Road. The
discharge was stopped by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities and repairs
to the lift station have been completed.
Water samples collected by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services
staff on June 22, 2011 revealed elevated bacteria levels at 300
colonies/100 ml. in the cove adjacent to Town Harbour Road resulting
in the issuance of this NO SWIMMING advisory. Sampling will continue
until levels of fecal coliform bacteria fall below 200 colonies/100
ml, which is the level determined to be safe for swimming. When
bacteria counts reach this level, the no swimming advisory will be
lifted.
Rusty Rozzelle, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services' Water
Quality Program Manager, said the advisories are standard procedure.
"It was necessary to close the areas to recreation because of the
potential risk to human health as Lake Norman is designated as
recreational waters," said Rozzelle.
