Update 2021-07-16 Clean Withlacoochee River 2021-07-15.

I thank the City of Valdosta for promptly sending their list of manholes to be rehabilitated, and manholes already rehabilitated, both in response to a WWALS Georgia Open Records Act request.

However, I am mystified why neither list includes the notorious spill locations on Mildred Street or Wainwright Drive.

I add up 358,525 gallons of sewage spilled at Mildred Street into Knights Creek in the Alapaha River Basin and 355,875 gallons at Wainwright Drive into Onemile Branch in the Withlacoochee River Basin. Those totals are each since 2015, according to records from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD).

I haven’t added up spills from all the other locations that are on the Rehab lists. I would hope there are not many that have spilled more than a third of a million gallons of raw sewage.

How many gallons does it take to get on Valdosta’s rehab list?

Current Rehab list; already rehabilitated lists

It’s also interesting that these lists include for almost every manhole specific street addresses. Unlike the vague “1200 block” addresses Valdosta puts in its sewage spill press releases, and often in its spill reports to GA-EPD.

Speaking of which, despite Valdosta’s assurances that it had reported at least the two biggest spills of July 7th to GA-EPD, there is still nothing about any of those in GA-EPD’s Sewer Spills Report.

Manhole Rehabilitation (Phase 7)

ORR-2021-222-John-Quarterman-Manhole-Rehab-Phase-7-071321.pdf

Norman Drive
PDF

Hidden Cove, Baytree Drive, Williams Lane, Savannah Ave.
PDF

Norman Drive, Iola Drive, Blanchard Street, Lee Street, Norman Drive
PDF

Norman Drive, Patterson Street, Charlton Street, N. Oak Street, Blanchard Street, Lee Street
PDF

Manholes Rehabilitated Since 2011 (as of December 2015)

ORR-2021-222-John-Quarterman-Manholes-Rehabbed-Phase-1-6-List-021321.pdf

Creek between Tucker Road, Gil Harbin plus south of Gil Harbin + Phase 1 2011
PDF

Phase 2 Rehab 2012
PDF

Phase 3 Rehab 2014
PDF

Phase 4 Rehab 2015
PDF

Phase 5 Rehab 2016
PDF

Phase 6 Rehab 2019
PDF

Phase 6 Rehab 2019 (cont.)
PDF

WWALS Georgia Open Records Act request

Below is the text of the open records request I sent the Valdosta City Clerk Monday, which she answered Tuesday with the above lists.

The 93-page Consent Order on Valdosta by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD) is on the WWALS website here:
https://wwals.net/pictures/2020-04-13–ga-epd-vld-enforcement-order/

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Dear City of Valdosta,

This is a Georgia Open Records Act (GORA) request for the current list of manholes to be rehabilitated, with identifying numbers and locations for each manhole.

There may be multiple versions of this list. If older versions are also available, please send those, as well, with dates for when they were current.

I am willing to pay reasonable costs for this material, but I do not see why there should be any, considering the list is very likely in electronic form, since it must be available to the in-house “Manhole Rehab Team,” as well as to the City Council for budget review.

Please send me the list or lists via electronic mail.

Appended are relevant references to the 2020 Consent Order.

My contact information is below.

[My contact information omitted, since you’ve all seen it before.]

In the Valdosta Utilities letter to GA-EPD of March 19, 2019, page 2, on pages 58 and 59 of the 2020 Consent Order:

BEGIN QUOTES

3. Additional projects to correct the causes of the spills and violations:

…

Collection System Evaluation Program: Continue implementation of and complete a 5-year system wide plan to further evaluate the entire sanitary sewer collection system and develop a schedule for repairs. The evaluation includes the inspection of all manholes and collection system lines using smoke testing followed by Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) inspections of high priority areas. The evaluation will be utilized to prioritize and perform critical repairs and to plan and prioritize major rehabilitation projects for the future.

Establish Manhole Rehab Team: In addition to the existing programs, the City is embarking upon specialized in-house Manhole rehabilitation and Infiltration teams to accelerate needed repairs, Current contract costs allow for thirty manholes per year to be rehabilitated. An in-house team will be capable of completing more than double the number of manholes at less cost. Significant investment in equipment, training and personnel have been identified for the program. Proposal is currently under review for FY2020 budget.

END QUOTES

Also in the Consent Order:

BEGIN QUOTES

EPA Region 4 Guide to Collection and Transmission System Management, Operation, and Maintenance Programs Version 1.1

…

MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

…

5. Engineering

…

b. System Inventory Program

This program ensures an inventory of the utility’s collection and transmission system is present, updated, and cataloged by service area or sewershed. The inventory lists the system components with

their attributes and characteristics (e.g., pipe age, pipe size,

pipe material, invert elevation, pump sizes, location of inverted siphons, pump stations, manholes, etc.).

c. Mapping Program

This program ensures adequately detailed maps are available to be used in conjunction with the utility’s MOM programs. At minimum, the maps depict the location of gravity sewer lines, force mains, air valves, manholes (by identifying numbers), pump stations, major appurtenances, and the size of pipes.

…

h. Infrastructure Rehabilitation Program

This program rehabilitates gravity sewer lines, force mains. manholes, pump stations, and related appurtenances. The program includes a process for prioritizing rehabilitation, inventory of all completed rehabilitation (including a breakdown of the rehabilitation techniques used), inspection and performance measurement for all completed rehabilitation, written schedules for rehabilitation work, and a mechanism for including rehabilitation information in the IMS.

END QUOTES

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 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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