Wilmington NC Essentially An island Through Past Weekend; 5 Million Gallons Of Sewage Spilled

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On the coast, Wilmington was essentially turned into an island over the weekend until emergency crews were able to make way on one route for a military convoy. On Monday, it brought in enough food rations and water to supply 60,000 people for four days.

Mayor Bill Saffo begged people who had taken the city's advice to evacuate ahead of Florence to stay away until roads could be cleared and bridges checked. "Please stay where you are, where you have food, water and shelter," he said Monday, adding that the storm had produced "probably the most significant flooding event this state has ever seen." The Cape Fear River and other rivers were still rising in parts of the state.

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On Sunday, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority put out an urgent notice that it was running out of fuel to keep its drinking water plant operating. "We will not be able to continue water service for public health and safety such as fire suppression and other life-sustaining activities," the utility said. The agency found a source of fuel but still recommended customers keep bathtubs full of water just in case.

The same utility reported that more than 5 million gallons of partially treated sewage had spilled into the Cape Fear River during a power failure at a treatment plant. An EPA official said other sewage systems had been overwhelmed and were overflowing. In all, the agency reported Tuesday that 16 drinking water systems and seven sewage treatment systems in North Carolina were out of service.

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https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18092018/hurricane-florence-flood-sewage-hazardous-coal-ash-hog-waste-lagoons