Notice of Discharge of Untreated Sewage in Orange County Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) had a discharge of approximately 172,200 gallons of untreated wastewater from the collection system near Bartram Drive and Kings Mill Road in Chapel Hill. The discharge was discovered on July 7 at 9:30 a.m. and lasted for about 23 hours. The untreated wastewater reached Morgan Creek in the Cape Fear River Basin. OWASA was able to isolate an additional 795,900 gallons of untreated wastewater and pump it back into the collection system to prevent further discharge. Orange Water and Sewer Authority had another discharge of approximately 81,000 gallons of untreated wastewater from the collection system near Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Bolinwood Drive in Chapel Hill. The discharge was discovered on July 7 at 11:30 a.m. and lasted nine hours. The untreated wastewater reached Bolin Creek in the Cape Fear River Basin. OWASA bypassed the damaged sewer manhole to prevent further discharge. Orange Water and Sewer Authority also had a bypass of the UV disinfection treatment step for about 2.7 million gallons at the Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant due to a partial and temporary failure of the UV disinfection system. The bypass occurred between 5:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on July 7. The Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant discharges into Morgan Creek upstream of Jordan Lake in the Cape Fear River Basin. The UV disinfection system has been fully repaired. Damaged infrastructure from excessive rainfall and unprecedented flooding caused by Tropical Depression Chantal led to the discharges of untreated sewage and bypass of wastewater treatment. This notice is required by the North Carolina General Statutes, Article 21, Chapter 143.215C. For more information, contact Katie Hall of OWASA at (919) 537-4236. IPL0254381 Jul 16 2025