Received by email at 8:54 AM this morning, and Valdosta Utilities Director Jason Barnes called about the same time: yesterday Valdosta found and fixed a small sewer leak into Sugar Creek.

I congratulated him and his department.

Small Sugar Creek sewer line leak found and fixed –Valdosta Utilities, 2025-11-20

He said he wanted to get the press release out yesterday, but the new interim Valdosta City Manager (Al Crace, since November 10, 2025) reviewed it this morning. I noted that’s still faster than previous Utilities Directors.

Jason Barnes said he had also already called Rick Davis, Chair of the Florida Rivers Task Force. I agree with them that this leak will not have affected the Withlacoochee River in Florida.

Although of course it could affect Sugar Creek downstream at the Watergoat, where WWALS has been getting high E. coli results, and the Withlacoochee River as far downstream as GA 133, where Valdosta has been getting high results. And it could affect any children, adults, pets, or wildlife playing in Sugar Creek or that section of the Withlacoochee River, including down to the Little River Confluence along the future Troupville Nature Park and River Camp.

There’s still the mystery of why results upstream at St. Augustine Road on Hightower Creek remain high. Jason Barnes said they can’t find any leaks in the sewer lines, so maybe it’s coming from the apartments upstream, and there’s also contruction going on. I noted that Lowndes High School, Academy Sports, and all the businesses along St. Augustine Road up to Hobby Lobby also drain into Hightower Creek. I look forward to the source of that Hightower Creek problem also being found.

Meanwhile, congratulations Jason Barnes and the Valdosta Utilities Department for finding and fixing this leak, and for getting a press release out speedily!

Sanitary Sewer Overflow Reported in Sugar Creek

On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at approximately 1:30 PM, members of the City of Valdosta Utilities Department’s Environmental Services Watershed Team discovered a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) occurring along Sugar Creek during routine monitoring activities.

Personnel observed that an 8-inch sanitary sewer line had been damaged and was actively discharging into the creek. Utilities Director Jason Barnes was immediately notified, and a contracted response crew was dispatched to investigate. Crews were able to install a patch on the damaged line by approximately 2:30 PM. Current estimates indicate that between 1,000 and 1,500 gallons of wastewater entered Sugar Creek.

As a precaution, the City advises the public to avoid contact with Sugar Creek from Baytree Road downstream to the creek’s confluence with the Withlacoochee River for the time being

All required regulatory and public health agencies have been notified, and all other actions in accordance with state environmental protocols.

“The City of Valdosta remains committed to preventing sewer overflows and protecting our waterways,” said Utilities Director Jason Barnes. “We continue to modernize our infrastructure and strengthen our monitoring programs to reduce the likelihood of future incidents.”

For additional information on the City’s wastewater system improvements or to learn more about ongoing environmental protection initiatives, please contact the City of Valdosta Utilities Department — Environmental Services Division at (229) 259-3592.

This is the Westbrook Circle Sewer Line, pictured here in January.

Westbrook Circle sewer line, Sugar Creek, 2025:01:02 13:10:17, –jsq for WWALS 30.8504847, -83.3143962

According to Jason Barnes, as you head down the railroad access road north from Baytree Road, the last sewer line across the creek before you get to the bypass pumps. He confirmed it’s the one beyond the end of Westbrook Circle.

Map: Sugar Creek Sewer Leak Fixed by Valdosta Utilities, 2025-11-20 in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT)

Here’s a map of Hightower Creek, coming from the bottom left northeast across St. Augustine Road to join Sugar Creek.

Map: Hightower Creek 2025-11-20 WLRWT

Ignore that it’s labeled Sugar Creek on the map: that’s just googlemaps being confused. WWALS goes by the Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUCs) and Valdosta Stormwater Division’s maps in its Master Stormwater Management Plan of November 2010.

Hightower Creek, Valdosta Master Stormwater Management Plan, 2010-11-01 –Valdosta Stormwater Department
PDF

So, congratulations again to Valdosta Utilities for finding this latest Sugar Creek sewer leak.

Onwards to finding whatever is getting into Hightower Creek.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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