North Raleigh Today

Raleigh Water crews are addressing a contamination issue at Joyner Park in Wake Forest after discovering a blockage in the sewer line caused by kitchen grease. The pond and nearby trail were closed to the public on Friday, Aug. 23, with remedial work expected to continue for several days.

An initial assessment revealed that grease poured down household sinks had blocked the line, causing sewage to overflow from a nearby manhole.

"Grease buildup is a major preventable cause of sewer line backups," said Carlos Perez, a utilities analyst with Raleigh Water. "Think of grease as a traffic jam for water, causing all sorts of issues. Crews are currently pumping out the contaminated water and replacing it with clean water."

Raleigh Water determined that approximately 615,899 gallons of untreated wastewater was released from the collection system during the overflow.

Cleanup efforts are ongoing and may take several days. The pond remains closed for safety reasons.

Raleigh Water advises residents to avoid the entire pond area during cleanup operations. This includes refraining from fishing, swimming, or other water activities in the pond and keeping pets away from the water. In case of accidental contact with contaminated water, individuals should rinse off immediately with clean water and seek medical attention if they experience any symptoms.

The utility also emphasized the dangers of pouring grease down drains and flushing wipes labeled as flushable. Grease hardens as it cools, leading to blockages that can cause sewage backups in homes and overflows into waterways. Flushable wipes can cling to pipes and form clogs even more challenging to remove than grease.

"FOG (fats, oils, and grease) might seem harmless, but it can wreak havoc on your plumbing and the city's sewer system,” said Perez. “To prevent clogs and backups, please dispose of FOG properly in the trash."

Residents are encouraged to throw wipes in the trash rather than flushing them down toilets to prevent clogged pipes, sewer backups, and environmental damage from sewage overflows.

If residents in Garner, Wendell, Wake Forest, Zebulon, Knightdale or Raleigh smell sewage or suspect an issue with their plumbing systems, they should contact Raleigh Utilities at 919-996-3245.

Together with community cooperation, Raleigh Water aims to keep waterways clean and maintain smoothly flowing sewer lines.

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