RALEIGH – Several hundred pork producers have contacted the Division of Water Quality with concerns about their lagoon levels and operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd. Following is a short list of problems reported over the past two days:

• More than 1,500 hogs have drowned and another 3,000 are marooned at M&R Livestock in Jones County. The owner, Allen McCoy, reported that he was attempting to use boats to transport the stranded hogs to dry land. He also reported that one of the facility’s lagoons is completed flooded.
• Staff from the Division of Soil and Water Conservation regional office in Fayetteville today confirmed that an estimated 2.1 million gallons of wastewater spilled from a ruptured lagoon at the Jesse Lanier Farm of Rose Hill in Duplin County. The wastewater escaped into an unnamed tributary leading to Rock Fish Creek, which outfalls to the Northeast Cape Fear River. Two other lagoons at the site were in critical condition and efforts are under way to protect their integrity.
• A hog lagoon overtopped at Prestage Farm’s P-22 facility in Sampson County. The farm is a 6,000-head farrow to wean operation.
• A lagoon at the J.R. Lewis Farm in Pitt County was completely flooded. The farm is a 550-head farrow to wean operation.
• A lagoon at Pig City in Duplin County is full and may have overflowed. The farm is a 2,600-head operation.

The following is a preliminary and incomplete list of municipal wastewater problems that have been reported to DWQ:

• Tarboro – sewer collection system overwhelmed; roads and sewer mains washed out at various creek crossings.
• White Lake – wastewater lagoon system completely inundated.
• Kinston – both wastewater treatment plants flooded and without power; several lift stations have overflowed and one is underwater.
• Kenly – treatment plant flooded, power shut down.
• Wilson – main plant flooded, power shut down.
• Pine Tops – wastewater treatment plant flooded and inaccessible.
• Magnolia – aeration basin overflow resulting in 1,500-gallon wastewater spill.
• Roanoke Rapids – lost power to generator resulting in system overflow.
• Cary – several pump stations overflowed releasing more than 230,000 gallons.
• Goldsboro – 100,000 gallons of bypass stormwater flowed into a nearby creek.

• Smithfield – county treatment plant shut down, seven spills reported.
• Jacksonville – multiple sewer overflows.
• Hillsborough – pump station overflowed releasing 1,620 gallons.
• Maysville – wastewater bypass from treatment plant.
• Pink Hill – system not functioning, several manholes underwater.
• Grifton – no room left in storage lagoons and pump system not operational.
• Wake Forest – overflows from the interceptor at Pascal Creek Golf Course, and several lift station and manhole overflows fed into Richland Creek
• Zebulon – several lift stations overflowed.
• Fremont – overflow at two lift stations

For information on wastewater and animal waste spills, contact Ernie Seneca with the Division of Water Quality at (919) 733-7015, ext. 208.

The Division of Environmental Health has received the following reports on drinking water systems with problems because of Hurricane Floyd

• Tarboro - flooding causing roads to collapse and destroying pipes; mostly areas already evacuated.
• Wilson - intake buildings for both plants flooded and pumps shut down; working on getting gas powered pumps.
• Rocky Mount - one plant evacuated and shut down because of flooding; other plant functioning.
• Wayne Water District - more than 40 line breaks.
• Town of Speed - wells flooded.
• New Hanover County 421 - no electrical power.
• Wrightsville Beach - broken lines; repairing.

Many smaller systems in affected areas have lost electrical power and/or have flooded wells. For information on water supply systems with problems associated with Hurricane Floyd, call Johanna Reese with the Division of Environmental Health at (919) 715-3204.

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