Coal Ash Uncovered Near Lake Norman High School in Mooresville

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – New coal ash concerns after the toxic material was recently uncovered in Mooresville. 40,000 tons are buried at a construction site off River Highway right next to Lake Norman High School.

A spokesperson with Iredell-Statesville Schools confirms the discovery happened during an inspection September 6th.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality found soil covering a portion of the coal ash had been disturbed. It happened during construction of a temporary access road.

“It can runoff into streams and ultimately Lake Norman or it can blow around, and in this case in Mooresville, you have a high school right there and you don’t want children breathing that in,” says Catawba Riverkeeper Sam Perkins.

Duke Energy confirms it sold the coal ash to the land owner at the time to use for structural fill in 2001.

The school district says inspectors required the construction supervisor to restore and stabilize the soil.

Iredell-Statesville Schools says most of its schools use municipal water. They are having water samples taken and analyzed at all 36 schools as a precaution.

The first campus to be tested will be Lake Norman High School.