The City of Burlington will embark on a series of improvements to its wastewater collection system. It’s part of an agreement between the city and various environmental groups.
Back in January, more than 3.5 million gallons of raw sewage spilled out of a cracked pipe near a wastewater treatment plant and into the Haw River. The Haw River winds through Alamance County and feeds into Jordan Lake, the main source of drinking water for more than a quarter of a million people.
After the spill, the Southern Environmental Law Center threatened to sue the City. This week, the group agreed not to go to court in exchange for a series of improvements to be made by the city.
Those improvements include cleaning sewer lines, more prompt notification when or if future spills occur, and completing infrastructure projects.
All told, Burlington will spend more than $10 million to complete the capital improvement projects.