MOORESVILLE, N.C. — The town of Mooresville released the test results Wednesday of the water quality of streams connected to a massive sinkhole that forced a longtime business to close earlier this year.
The sinkhole was caused by a pipe failure and forced Tire Masters to close its doors permanently after nearly 30 years. Mayor Chris Carney announced last month the town would buy the property and fix the sinkhole. But it's what was in that sinkhole that had residents worried: coal ash. So town leaders hired an independent company to test the water in the area.
Coal ash is the waste left over after burning coal in a power plant. It contains toxic byproducts and was once commonly used as filler for construction sites, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. Coal ash used as structural fill wasn't required to be reported to the state until 1994. That's what was in the ground where the sinkhole formed.
Overall, test results were better than expected, according to multiple town officials. Samples were taken for testing from two locations. One area is in a stream on the southern side of Highway 150 directly across Tire Masters and the second location is where the stream enters Lake Norman. The samples taken were checked for heavy metals and for radioactive materials. The samples had levels that are below what naturally occurs in the environment and are well below North Carolina requirements, according to officials.
"That means that you have safe drinking water that has not been compromised," Assistant Town Manager Ryan Rase said. "We continue to monitor our drinking water, we continue to go through testing required by the state and the drinking water of Mooresville has not been compromised by this situation."
The results backed up what Carney said in April when he ensured Mooresville residents the town's drinking water was safe. Carney also pledged transparency with everything found during testing and cleanup.
"Surprisingly better than we thought," Carney said of the results. "We were prepared for either side of the equation but we got lucky that the stream has not been impacted as much as we thought it would be."
Carney said it's a relief to know the town isn't dealing with the "horrific contamination" of this stream. He said the stream will be completely free of coal ash once the collapsed pipe is replaced. He said the town and Duke Energy are working together on a permanent solution to ensure coal ash stays out of the stream.
When asked if Duke Energy was part of the blame for this Mayor Carney instead pointed to a failed installation that caused the pipe to collapse and let coal ash into the stream. He also said he understands why the public is concerned about coal ash in the water supply.
"I don't think any of us think coal ash is something we want to see more of in the ground, so we obviously understand that change was good for public safety," he said. "I just don't know if we are at a place where we have enough information that there is a danger to our public from the buried coal ash and that is where testing ... Well We will take it where the data takes us, and right now we have not had that data brought to us."
WCNC Charlotte has followed the story for months as the sinkhole eventually forced Tire Masters to close shop in February. Carney said at the time the town planned to make things right for the property's owner, explaining he was put in an unfair position by a collapsed storm drain installed decades ago that caused the sinkhole to form long. Carney said the pipe was installed so long ago the town couldn't even find records of who did the work or when it was finished.
Records show the sinkhole started to form in 2018. Jeff Long, who runs a golf shop near the property, said there have been efforts to prevent it from expanding, including concrete reinforcement. The property is located along North Carolina 150, about a mile east of Interstate 77.
As the hole grew, Mooresville residents wondered who was responsible for fixing the property. Ultimately, Carney said the town would buy the property and clean it up. He said the sinkhole will be filled with clean dirt once crews repair the failed pipe.
"We wish it had been tackled a couple of years ago," Carney said in February. "It probably could have saved the business."
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