The overflow of sewage due to Florence is worrying for health and the environment

Benson was not the only place in the state to experience the dump. Munger said the Southside sewage treatment plant, located just south of Wilmington, had released 5.25 million gallons of partially treated water.

Although the volume of releases is alarming, Munger said the dilution factor due to heavy rainfall had reduced the damage.

"You get a lot of rain and storm water that will dilute some of these spills. The immediate impact will not be so severe, "said Munger. "No imaginative structure says it's not a problem to have a spill, but you have a factor with a huge amount of rainwater that would dilute some of the adverse effects."

Munger said that the amount of rainwater could help prevent the proliferation of algae that could pose a threat to the environment and human health. Harmful algae are a type that the DEQ specifically recommends to civilians to avoid.

Munger said the ministry has identified overflow of the pork lagoon as a major cause of blooms. Pork lagoons are open pits filled with animal manure which, after decomposition, is converted into fertilizer. North Carolina has a large amount of pork lagoons in the eastern flood plains, making them vulnerable to overflowing during heavy rains.

Gavin Smith, director of the United States Department of Homeland Security's Center for Excellence in Coastal Resilience at the UNC, said excessive flooding could cause a whole host of problems if organic matter penetrated the waterways.

"When an excess of rainwater causes flooding, the waste can overflow," Smith said. "In some cases, the surrounding dikes can be drilled, resulting in the spillage of a large amount of animal waste into the nearby streams and rivers."

Cities in North Carolina, like Benson, have experienced such an overflow because of the floods brought on by Hurricane Florence. According to Munger, the precautionary measures taken by the General Assembly of N.-C. could prevent future spills.

"Whenever we have an emergency event like this in North Carolina, our elected officials will look back and see what changes they need to make to better protect public health and the environment in our state. "said Munger.

What new measures could the assembly take after Florence? However, she is not sure.

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