A NO SWIMMING advisory was issued after approximately 267 gallons of sewage discharged to Lake Norman during the afternoon of June 21, 2011 at Town Harbour Road in Cornelius. The spill was caused by a broken valve in a sewer line on Windy Point Drive off Town Harbour Road. The discharge was stopped by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities and repairs to the lift station have been completed.
Water samples collected by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services staff on June 22, 2011 revealed elevated bacteria levels at 300 colonies/100 ml. in the cove adjacent to Town Harbour Road resulting in the issuance of this NO SWIMMING advisory. Sampling will continue until levels of fecal coliform bacteria fall below 200 colonies/100 ml, which is the level determined to be safe for swimming. When bacteria counts reach this level, the no swimming advisory will be lifted.
Rusty Rozzelle, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services’ Water Quality Program Manager, 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 Norman is designated as recreational waters,” said Rozzelle.
