A Carthage sewer line broke shortly before noon Thursday, sending a torrent of wastewater running down the side of N.C. 22 on the Southern Pines side of the Moore County Airport.

About 31,000 gallons of sewage spilled, Carthage Town Manager Carol Sparks said. Some of it flowed into Mill Creek.

Around 11:45 p.m., the pipe failed and untreated sewage started spewing out. It took workers until about 1:30 p.m. to stem the flow.

The wastewater ran down a culvert beside the road toward Reservoir Park.

"I just came from there," Sparks said. "It's our fourth main (line)."

There are two different construction projects in the area. A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation is working on a project to realign N.C. 22 and Airport Road. Grading work is being done at Mill Creek Village site, which is to be home of a new Harris Teeter shopping center

Sparks said the break in the sewer line had nothing to do with the construction work in the area. She said the line failed because it had a crack in it. She said that may date back to installation of a fiber optic line eight years ago.

Contact Matthew Moriarty at 693-2479 or by e-mail at moriarty@thepilot.com.