The New Castle County Department of Public Works repaired a force main break, which led to wastewater spilling into the Nonesuch Creek and Christina River.
No advisories were immediately announced and no estimate of the number of gallons of wastewater was initially released. The river has many sources of industrial pollution that date back more than a century and a half.
The overflow occurred when the force main ruptured near 419 Old Airport Road near New Castle. The wastewater spill was reported to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control on Wednesday.
The New Castle County Department of Public Works worked through the night to stop the spill and repair the 36-inch force main line. The crew was able to bypass flow and close a valve to stop the leak. The repair of the line was completed around noon on Thursday, March 24.
DNREC Division of Water and New Castle County wastewater management staff are assessing bodies of water in the area impacted by the spill. Given the proximity to both the Christina River and the Nonesuch Creek, staff sampled upstream and downstream of both waterways.
The break was caused by a failed weld on a 24-inch air release stack.
To report environmental crimes and concerns in the state, the public may contact the DNREC Environmental Crimes Unit at 800-662-8802. For questions about this incident, contact the New Castle County Department of Public Works at 302-395-5700.
