Sound Rivers and the Town of Springfield are getting closer to determining the source of bacteria flowing into the Neuse River from a town stormwater outfall.
Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop said several rounds of testing have shown elevated levels of E. coli, and DNA testing pointed to a human source of the bacteria, indicating a sewer system problem. However, the Town of Smithfield tried to identify the source using dye testing but found no apparent issue.
Last week, she and town officials joined North Carolina DEQ Consultant Donald Smith to collect samples at the outfall, at a manhole at the intersection of Bridge and Fifth streets and on the property of the Lamphe & Malphrus lumber mill.
The lumber mill was included because Krop said it has a permit to discharge into the system leading to that outfall and it’s a big contributor to the flow of water in the impacted area.
Krop said the bacteria is likely caused by cross contamination issue between the stormwater and sewer lines, and results from the DEQ should help rule out the lumber mill and identify whether the sewer problem is in the line above or below where the manhole is located.
They did, however, find the source of the smell that many community members have called about.
Krop said it’s not sewage, but a noxious chemical smell from decomposition of organic solids, aka wood. She said it’s the exact same smell at the lumber mill.
The issue of the smell is the most obvious problem people report, but Krop said it is not necessarily connected to the level of bacteria in the water and the smell issue probably won’t go away, even if the sewer problem is identified.
