DEMAND LEGAL NOTIFICATION OF SEWAGE SPILLS

After a recent heavy amount of rain during the week of January 14th through 18th, 2013, in the Morganton, NC area, a discharge of 1,824,000 gallons untreated wastewater sewage occurred January 17 and 18 for almost two days. The 1,824,000 (gallon) figure was published in the legal notice on January 27, 2013. North Carolina State Statutes require BOTH a 'legal notice' published in all local newspapers with general delivery of the county where the spill occurred, AND a "Press Release" issued to ALL PRINT and ELECTRONIC media with coverage in the county where the spill is known to have occurred when more than 1,000 gallons of sewage is known to have spilled into surface waters.

By State Statute the Legal Notice must be published within 10 days of determining a spill occurred and the Press Release must be issued within 48 hours of determining a spill occurred. The City of Morganton published a "Legal Notice" concerning the sewage spill on the 10th day, but DID NOT issue a "Press Release" within 48 hours as required by NCGS 143-215.1C.

I feel by the City of Morganton taking this action, people were put at risk of exposure to sewage that was a known hazard and the City of Morganton must follow the same requirement as any waste collection system operator must do. Since this was NOT done, I wish to ask those as concerned as I am about the environment to sign this petition and DEMAND accountability especially when it involves a known hazard, and knowing how to keep our water clean and what to do when an accident happens to threaten our resources and water quality.


Please show your support for this cause, and sign the petition so the City of Morganton will be put on notice that failing or ignoring the law will not be tolerated when a known hazard has been found to have occurred.