DENVER––A swimming advisory was issued today (Jan. 24), following a wastewater spill in Denver.

According to Lincoln County Health Director Lena Jones, who issued the advisory, the area in question is 3896 Rivendell Lane in Denver, and the spill of some 200 gallons of untreated sewage occurred around 11 a.m. The wastewater may have leaked into Lake Norman, as Jones informed.

“A wastewater spill occurred due to a sewer force-main break,” she said. “The flow has been stopped, and testing of the discharge site has commenced.”

As a preventive measure, Jones is advising all residents and boaters that this area may be contaminated with fecal coliform. Residents and lake-users are advised not to swim or otherwise have bodily contact in that area. “No Swimming” advisory signs will be posted. A public notification message was sent to the properties affected and adjacent to the sewer spill site using a mass-notification system called Everbridge. A related press release was also posted to the County’s Website at www.lincolncounty.org.

Staffers at the Killian Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant have begun taking water samples. Results will be forwarded to the Lincoln County Public Works department, and its staffers will notify their counterparts at the health department and the public, re the all-clear to resume lake activities in this area and just when that will be.

Until at least two consecutive samples indicate fecal coliform counts of less than 200 milliliters at all sampling sites, the swimming advisory will remain in effect. This decision is based on State guidelines per the Mooresville Regional Office of the North Carolina Division of Environmental Management.