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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina officials say wastewater containing unsafe levels of arsenic from a Duke Energy coal ash dump is flowing into a Dan River, which is already contaminated from a massive Feb. 2 spill.
The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources ordered Duke Tuesday to stop the wastewater coming from a pipe running under a coal ash dump at its Eden power plant. A nearby pipe at the dump collapsed without warning two weeks ago, coating the river bottom with toxic ash as far as 70 miles downstream.
State regulators expressed concern the second pipe could fail, triggering another spill. Water coming from the pipe contains arsenic at levels 14 times that considered safe for human contact.
Duke had downplayed concerns water flowing from the pipe was contaminated.
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