Pipe breakage releases tonnes of coal ash into river

A stormwater pipeline rupture has led to thousands of tonnes of coal ash being released into the Dan River, North Carolina, US. Duke Energy announced on Monday (February 3rd) that between 50,000 and 82,000 tonnes of coal ash, and around 27 million gallons of water, spilled from a storage pond.

The ash and water was being stored in a pond at Duke Energy's retired Eden power plant when a 48-inch stormwater pipe beneath it broke on Sunday (February 2nd). As the 27-acre pond was unlined, the water and ash ended up draining through the pipe and being released into the river.

According to a recent inspection report, when full, the pond is able to hold around 155 million gallons. However, it was actually at a lower level when it drained, as the power plant retired its coal-fired units in 2012. Luckily it seems that most of the coal ash is still in the pond, although some will have drained with the water.

The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources and local emergency managers were informed of the leak on Sunday. However, the first public notice was not issued by Duke until Monday afternoon. 

Last year Duke was sued by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the way the company handled its coal ash waste. Other lawsuits have been filed against the power company and other utilities by environmental groups over ash being stored near waterways. 

Water districts that are down river of the spill have been notified by the environmental agency to warn over possible water pollution, as coal ash contains a number of elements that are toxic in high quality. 

So far no water issues have been raised by the nearest district that draws its water from the river. Samples of water have been taken from the river but currently the results of testing have not come back. Until results come back, all pumping downstream of the release has been ceased.