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| Entered date | Event description | |
|---|---|---|
| ENS 45625 | 12 January 2010 14:10:00 | At 8:30 a.m. on January 10, 2010, an operator on regular rounds discovered the underground Waste Neutralization Basin Flash Mixer Return Pipe had developed a leak. The eight-inch fiberglass pipe carries secondary plant and water treatment building waste water for chemical processing. Approximately 1,000 gallons of water containing a low level of tritium (5,590 picocuries per liter) leaked into the surrounding soil. The EPA Drinking Water Standard is 20,000 picocuries per liter. Once the leak was discovered, the system was secured and the leak was isolated. Crews are repairing the pipe. The spill has been contained within the plant backfill and is unlikely to migrate off-site or reach the water table. The affected area is located within the plant's site boundary, approximately 15 feet west of the Water Treatment Building, and involves roughly 100 cubic feet of soil. Once repaired, the system will be tested and returned to service. Immediate remedial actions involving the affected area include: pumping the water from the saturated ground back into the waste neutralization basin, removal of the tritiated soil and sampling soil in the area for tritium analysis. The health and safety of the public are not affected by this event, based on the location of the leak and the low tritium levels. Harris Nuclear Plant is following the guidance in NEI 07-07 and has initiated this Event Notification as a result of our voluntary communication to State agencies in accordance with the Groundwater Protection Initiative. The licensee will be notifying North Carolina Divisions of Radiation Protection and Water Quality and has notified the NRC Resident Inspector. |