CORNELIUS, N.C. — A no swimming advisory is in effect for a popular part of Lake Norman.
Officials said Wednesday a broken pipe dumped nearly 900 gallons of sewage into a cove near Jetton Park in Cornelius. It’s the latest spill in a string of incidents contaminating Charlotte-area lakes this summer.
"People are always in this water, so I didn’t even notice that sign until the kids pointed it out," lake-goer Nicole Betancourt said. She took her children to Jetton Park Wednesday afternoon and they were knee-deep in the water before noticing a "sewage spill" sign posted by the county.
Officials said nearly 900 gallons of bacteria-filled sewage leaked from a broken pipe into the cove next to Jetton Park, which makes it, “not suitable for human contact.”
Boaters were seen swimming in the water as well despite large inflated orange cones floating in the cove that warned of the advisory.
In just over a month, Mecklenburg County has reported five spills in Lake Norman and Lake Wylie due to failed sewer systems or private contractors hitting pipes.
"It’s really gross," Betancourt said. "My other daughter has to drive two hours to go home. So, I’m like, 'Go home and wash your feet.'"
The cove contaminations are frustrating lake-goers, but city water officials told WCNC Charlotte sewage spills aren't happening as often as they used to.
"A lot of that is because of investment in technology, investment in people to be there to help do the preventative maintenance to reduce those spills," Cam Coley with Charlotte Water explained.
Coley said the low-pressure sewer systems most lake houses require are at higher risk for malfunction. Clogged pipes are also to blame for spills.
"Wipes -- even if they say flushable -- do clog pipes and cause problems," Coley said. He added that grease, butter, and other cooking products that congeal can clog plumbing, which leads to spills.
The city has a rapid response team tasked with looking for possible leaks and preventing them. When a spill happens, they work to stop, clean, and dilute it.
Crews test the water and once bacteria levels go down; the city will lift the no swimming advisory for the area.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.