At Union County Water, we're committed to protecting the environment and being good stewards of our public infratructure. Fortunately, the residents of Union County share our commitment to environmental stewardship. However, over the years our staff have responded to rare but significant incidents of illegal dumping into our public wastewater system. As a result, our staff have worked to address this issue through public education and enforcement of the law where warranted.  

Illicit dumping into a public wastewater system is an illegal act. The typical culprits for this type of illicit activity are companies that have residual substances that they need to dispose of and that - rather than disposing of the substances responsibly - look for a remote place such as a quiet neighborhood or other area with sewer access. The company's personnel do not have the authority to access a public wastewater system, but they may think it is an easy and cheap way to dispose of their products. By releasing their untreated, unknown materials into the public wastewater system, our normal wastewater management process is disrupted, creating unnecessary and costly repairs for our public system and our customers. 

When this activity occurs, our staff works quickly to identify the culprits, educate them about this issue, and levy fines where warranted. We truly believe that public education is key to preventing this issue. 

How You Can Help

You can help prevent this illicit activity by reporting suspicious vehicles or activity near a manhole or other Union County Water infrastructure. Typically, vehicles or personnel that access Union County Water’s systems will bear our official logo. Sometimes, a contractor may be doing work on our behalf. However, if you see activity near a manhole or other Union County Water infrastructure that seems suspicious, please contact us so that we can investigate. A description and/or photos of the truck – including the name of the company on the truck – will help us as we investigate and stop this harmful activity. 

To report this type of activity, call our Customer Care team at 704-296-4210 or contact us by email. Photos of the truck and/or the name of the company that appears on the truck is helpful in addressing this activity. Reports may be made anonymously.