NO SWIMMING Advisory Issued For Lake Wylie Near Long Creek After Sewage Discharge

Charlotte, NC - (May 24, 2005) A NO SWIMMING advisory has been issued for an area of Lake Wylie downstream of Long Creek between Hwy 27 and I-85 following a sewage discharge to the lake. The Mecklenburg County Water Quality Program ( MCWQP) and the Mecklenburg County Health Department issued the advisory on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 following notification of the spill.

The "no swimming" advisory was issued after an estimated 500,000 gallons of untreated sewage discharged to Lake Wylie from a broken Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities' (CMU) sewer line. The discharge was discovered on Tuesday, May 24 by CMU staff and actions have been taken to eliminate the discharge and repair the failing sewer system.

Water samples were collected today by MCWQP and sampling will be ongoing until levels of fecal coliform bacteria fall below 200-colonies/100 ml, which is the level determined to be safe for swimming. The affected lake areas have been posted with "no swimming" buoys for the duration of the advisory.

MCWQP Manager Rusty Rozzelle 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 Wylie is designated as recreational waters," said Rozzelle.