State questions UNC's delayed response to wastewater complaint

UNC plans to respond soon to an ultimatum issued by the state, asking the University to explain why it waited two months to report a leak of treated wastewater.

The N.C. Division of Water Quality’s notice of intent sent Thursday threatens potential “enforcement action” over the leak at UNC’s Research Resource Facility and asks for further explanation within 10 days.

According to the notice, written by Environmental Regional Supervisor Jay Zimmerman, UNC first suspected a leak on Oct. 19. A dye test of the pond began 48 days later, and UNC reported the leak on Dec. 11.

UNC is still preparing a response to the letter, said University spokeswoman Susan Houston on Sunday.

The Research Resource Facility, also known as the Bingham Facility, houses animals that are transported to and from campus for research. Some area residents have called for more communication and transparency from the University regarding the facility.

“We take this notice very seriously and intend to respond promptly,” said Dwayne Pinkney in an e-mail Friday to the facility’s neighbors.

Pinkney ­— special assistant to the chancellor for state and local relations, who also serves as UNC’s liaison to the N.C. General Assembly — has been designated as the University’s contact with the community.

Treated wastewater leaked from a punctured liner in a retaining pond and made it to Collins Creek, which eventually connects with Jordan Lake. The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued a notice of violation Dec. 18. UNC requested until March 15 to drain the storage pond cited with the violation in order to identify the source of the most recent leak and repair it.

The leak’s effects on the surrounding area and the water supply have yet to be determined.

Neighbors of the research facility have raised concerns in the past over the treatment of the facility’s animals and its environmental impact.

“I do not believe that we felt or understood how concerned the community would be and how interested it is in the issue,” Mary Beth Koza, director of Environment, Health and Safety at UNC, said in January.

In a Jan. 29 e-mail to neighbors of the Bingham Facility, Pinkney wrote about plans to schedule meetings with residents every other month and phase out use of the facility’s incinerator in the future.

Pinkney also acknowledged requests for a tour of the facility.

“There are obviously security and safety issues to work around, but we would like to make this available to a small number of neighbors,” he wrote.


Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.