An estimated 500,000 gallons of sewage poured into a Lake Wylie tributary after a pump station lost power Monday evening, Oct. 26, York County officials said.
The Little Allison Creek Pump Station in Lake Wylie failed that evening, sending raw sewage into Little Allison Creek, according to a York County civic alert published Tuesday, Oct. 27. The overflow has since stopped.
The county has not disclosed what caused the power failure.
York County said it contacted the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) after discovering the spill. County utilities staff said they have prioritized repairing the pump station.
"We deeply regret the incident, and apologize for the disruption to the area," the county stated in its alert.
The spill is large by state standards. South Carolina averages nearly 600 sewage overflows each year, and the state considers spills of at least 5,000 gallons to be "significant," the Herald reported. Only 18 spills of 500,000 gallons or more have been reported statewide in the past four years.
Little Allison Creek is not a small stream. It is one of several large branches of the more than 13,000-acre Lake Wylie, near unincorporated Lake Wylie and Rock Hill.
The county's Oct. 27 alert did not address water quality testing or advisories for the creek or lake. The Herald reported that water monitoring after spills can take days to a week or more.
County staff said they will continue working with SCDES to address the overflow. Residents can check for updates on the York County civic alerts page at yorkcountysc.gov.
