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75,600 Gallons of Untreated Wastewater From Beech Mountain Pump Station Spills Into Buckeye Creek

By Jesse Wood

May 8, 2013. The Town of Beech Mountain recently sent out a notification of a wastewater spill that occurred from the heavy rains and flooding on May 6 and 7.

According to state law, municipalities – along with other industries – must notify the public of any spill greater than 1,000 gallons that reaches surface waters.

Laurel Creek crashes over a bridge on Laurel Creek Road on Monday. Photo by Lonnie Webster
Laurel Creek crashes over a bridge on Laurel Creek Road on Monday. Photo by Lonnie Webster – See more flood photos here.

Beech Mountain’s public utilities department estimates that 75,600 gallons of untreated wastewater from a pump station on 208 Grassy Gap Creek Road spilled into Buckeye Creek in the Watauga River Basin. 

The N.C. Division of Water Quality was notified and is currently reviewing the matter.

On Wednesday, Town Manager Randy Feierabend didn’t sound too concerned about the spill and said the town wasn’t advising caution.

“Our system is designed to hold up to 10,000 people and only 300 to 400 people are on the mountain right now,” Feierabend said, adding that 99.5 percent of the spill was “pure storm water.”

For more information, contact the Town of Beech Mountain at 828-387-9282.