BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Alliance Water Resources was prompted to expedite the repair of a sewer line after raw sewage was found leaking into Rockcastle Creek in the Beatrice Loop area on Old Route 3. The leakage was initially discovered by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, drawing attention to potential negligence at a local sewer treatment facility.
Sheriff John Kirk dispatched Chief Deputy Chris Kidd to the site following residents’ reports, suspecting that the sewer treatment plant was discharging waste directly into the creek.
“Deputy Kidd observed a hose extending from a nearby property to the creek bank,” Kirk said. “The sewer company had been connecting the hose to a pumper truck there, and there was sewer on the ground on the creek bank. Deputy Kidd suspected they were indeed pumping sewage at that location.”
The situation escalated when Sheriff Kirk drove by the site and noticed active operations involving a pumper truck. An on-site worker from Alliance clarified that the truck was being used to manage a sewer line break, which he stated had occurred approximately two and a half months prior.
“He said the line, which crosses the creek, had been leaking sewage into the creek,” said Kirk. “They cut and capped the line.”
Despite these measures, sewage continued to leak from a manhole, pooling on the creek bank and subsequently flowing into Rockcastle Creek.
“The employee said they were pumping five hours a day, seven days a week,” said Kirk. “And they were still having trouble keeping up because there was so much sewage coming in there. The sewage there was actually flowing into the creek, down the bank and into the creek.”
The sheriff added, “The employee said the Division of Water and the EPA were aware that they did have this line break. I don’t know if they’re aware of the sewage on the creek bank like that.”
The stench of sewage permeated the area, detectable as far as half a mile away at Crooked Run.
Residents also expressed their frustration to the sheriff over the lack of communication and transparency from Alliance and the Martin County Sewer District.
“People feel the public should have been informed of this and told that sewage was seeping into the creek,” said Kirk. “Residents said they felt the sewer company had something to hide.”
Adding to the complexity, Dwight Marcum, the owner of the property where the hose was placed, told the Mountain Citizen that he was unaware of its use and had not authorized the actions on his land.
Alliance Water Resources, according to their employee, had faced delays in repairing the break due to difficulties in securing a contractor and the necessary parts. However, a new line crossing Rockcastle Creek to the sewer treatment plant was apparent Tuesday, although the odor remained.
