Emergency Response Contact:

NOTE: If you are seeking to contact first responders to an incident, please call 911.

The Division of Water Resources is responsible for communications and coordination of  cleanups from discharges related to oil spills, sewage spills, and fish kills or algal blooms, that threaten to reach surface waters. To report an incident, please contact your local Division of Water Resources Regional Office during business hours. After-hours, weekends or holidays, reports by phone at (800) 858-0368.

For questions please contact Division of Water Resources' Emergency Response Coordinator Celeste Sugg, 919 707-3628. 

Emergency Planning

NC Emergency Management

Instructions To Report an Emergency:

Tab/Accordion Items

Wastewater treatment systems shall verbally report to a Division of Water Resources staff member at appropriate Regional Office, but in no case more than 24 hours following the occurrence or first knowledge of the occurrence of either of the following:

  • Any sewer system overflow and/or spill over 1,000 gallons; or
  • Any sewer system overflow and/or spill, regardless of volume, that reaches surface water

Voice mail messages or faxed information shall not be considered as the initial verbal report. SSOs (and other types of spills) occurring outside normal business hours may also be reported to the Division of Emergency Management at telephone number (800) 858-0368 or (919) 733-3300.

More information may be found here.

OIL SPILLS THAT REACH SURFACE WATER MUST BE REPORTED TO BOTH NORTH CAROLINA AND THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER

FOR OIL SPILLS THAT DON'T REACH SURFACE WATER, CLICK ON NORTH CAROLINA REQUIREMENTS FOR REPORTING SPILLS (SEE LINK BELOW).

For North Carolina, report oil spills Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to the appropriate Regional Office.

To report oil spills to the National Response Center, call (800) 424-8802 (24 hours); or the Division of Waste Management at 919-814-0375.

To report oil spills after hours or on weekends in North Carolina, call (800) 858-0368.

For spills of hazardous substances, determine if the spill is a reportable quantity or not by clicking on Reportable Quantities of Hazardous Substances (click here or on link below). Refer to “CERCLA RQ” column. Data is in pounds. If the spill meets or exceeds the reportable quantity, report to North Carolina and the National Response Center the same way as reporting an oil spill.  

To reach the Division of Waste Management's Hazardous Waste Section click here.

To reach the Dept. of Public Safety Emergency Response click here.

 

Click here to report an algal bloom and/or fish kill on your phone, tablet, or PC.

Click here to find and contact your regional office staff. 

Track Algal Blooms Across the State

Visit our Algal Bloom and Fish Kill Dashboard to find more information on reported algal blooms statewide.  

 

 

Regional Operations may be contacted directly for emergency spills during business hours. 

After-hours, weekends or holidays, reports by phone may be made by calling (800) 858-0368.