LEACHATE - What is it? 

Leachate is the liquid that percolates through garbage as a result of rainfall or moisture
already in the waste. This liquid flows to the bottom of the lined cell (where the garbage
is dumped daily) and is collected in a piping system. It flows into a sump area and is
pumped into one of two 340,000 gallon storage tanks. The force main pump line is a
four inch HDPE pipe inside a six inch HDPE pipe for secondary containment.
Each of the 340,000 gallon tanks has secondary containment systems if a problem
with the primary tank occurs. Approximately 5 million gallons of leachate are hauled
annually to the East Burlington Wastewater treatment plant.

Leachate is sampled and tested for 62 constituents at least twice yearly by a private
contractor and lab. The data is required to be sent directly to the State Groundwater
Division for evaluation. The records of each sampling series is kept on file and available
for review at:
Alamance County Landfill, 2701 Austin Quarter Road, Graham, N.C. 27253
For further information, please call 376-8902.
Data on any landfill in North Carolina can be reviewed by contacting the NC State
Groundwater Division at 919-508-8400.

DID YOU KNOW? - 1 inch of rain at our landfill makes approximately 27,142 gallons
of leachate!