Not just Valdosta: Tifton spilled two places, and Quitman one, in the most recent rains. Those cities were not in the data available online from GA-EPD yesterday, but they are in the online data today.
But Valdosta spilled the most sewage and from the most locations: six places, not just the one Valdosta told the public. Plus we finally have a total for the previous WWTP spill, and all the others from the beginning of December, and those totals are not pretty.
Photo: Julie Bowland, of Valdosta sewage spill sign at Troupville Boat Ramp, 21 December 2018.
That Valdosta sewage spill sign is stuck loosely into a hole WWALS dug to plant our Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT) signs, which someone has yet again pulled up and thrown into the river, but I digress….
Tifton
First let’s look at the city people in Florida ignore: Tifton, Georgia, the second largest city in the Suwannee River Basin (that’s right: in both Georgia and Florida). Tifton had two spills into two different river basins, totalling 16,500 gallons of raw sewage on December 17, 2018.
One of those, the 7,500 gallon spill, was from the same Agrirama Lift Station as the previous spill on December 3. At least it was less this time.
| BEGIN DATE | FACILITY NAME | COUNTY | CITY | OVERFLOW LOCATION | QUANTITY GALLONS | OVERFLOW TYPE | PERMIT NUMBER | WASTEWATER FACILITY TYPE | SPILL PRIMARY CAUSE | RIVER BASIN | WATERWAY IMPACTED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-12-17 | Tifton, City of (New River WPCP) | Tift | Tifton | Agrirama Lift Station. | 7500 | Raw Sewage | GA0048470 | Lift Station | Hydraulic Overload | Suwannee | Agrirama Lake and Little River Basin |
| 2018-12-17 | Tifton, City of (New River WPCP) | Tift | Tifton | Manhole located at 24th St. 7 Ridge Ave. | 9000 | Raw Sewage | GA0048470 | Collection System | Hydraulic Overload | Suwannee | New Riber Basin |
| 2018-12-03 | Tifton, City of (New River WPCP) | Tift | Tifton | Agrirama Lift Station | 35400 | Raw Sewage | GA0048470 | Lift Station | Hydraulic Overload | Suwannee | Little River Basin |
| 2018-12-03 | Tifton, City of (New River WPCP) | Tift | Tifton | Manhole located at 26th St. & Ridge Ave. | 51700 | Raw Sewage | GA0048470 | Collection System | Hydraulic Overload | Suwannee | New River Basin |
| 2018-12-03 | Tifton, City of (New River WPCP) | Tift | Tifton | 61 TC Gordon Rd. | 18000 | Raw Sewage | GA0048470 | Collection System | Hydraulic Overload | Suwannee | Little River Basin |
Quitman
Quitman had only one spill this time, on December 14, 2018, but it was a doozy, at 40,000 gallons. Still half of last time.
By the way, GA-EPD, Okapilco Creek does not flow into the Oconee River, and it does not flow into the Ochlockonee River: it flows into the Withlacoochee River.
| BEGIN DATE | FACILITY NAME | COUNTY | CITY | OVERFLOW LOCATION | QUANTITY GALLONS | OVERFLOW TYPE | PERMIT NUMBER | WASTEWATER FACILITY TYPE | SPILL PRIMARY CAUSE | RIVER BASIN | WATERWAY IMPACTED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-12-14 | Quitman, City of (Quitman WPCP) | Brooks | Quitman | 616 North Walker Street | 40000 | Raw Sewage | GAJ020022 | Collection System | Wet weather | Oconee | Okapilko Creek |
| 2018-12-02 | Quitman, City of (Quitman WPCP) | Brooks | Quitman | U.S. Highway 84 Quitman GA 31643 | 80000 | Raw Sewage | GAJ020022 | Collection System | Wet weather | Ochlockonee | Okapilco Creek |
Valdosta
Now the city Florida loves to hate for its sewage: Valdosta, the biggest city in the Suwannee River Basin, which thus has the biggest responsibility not to spill.
Or at least to tell us about it when they do. Which, once again, they did not. In addition to the big (still unterminated) spill from the Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) starting December 15, 2018 that caused two Florida county health departments to publish warnings, Valdosta also spilled from five other locations, for a total of 284,345 gallons of raw sewage.
While Valdosta Utilities tells us those other spills are due to old infrastructure, it’s curious that yet again there was a spill in the 1200 block of Wainwright Drive, like so many times before.
There is no “Midbriar Drive” in the city of Valdosta. The closest thing I could find is Smithbriar Drive, behind the Win-Dixie across from Five Points.
It’s not clear why the 408 Mildred Street spill, in the Knight’s Creek watershed, upstream from Mud Creek, the Alapahoochee River, and the Alapaha River, is listed as under the Withlacoochee WPCP, rather than the Mud Creek WPCP. I suppose it may just be the way the sewer lines run; or a typo.
| BEGIN DATE | FACILITY NAME | COUNTY | CITY | OVERFLOW LOCATION | QUANTITY GALLONS | OVERFLOW TYPE | PERMIT NUMBER | WASTEWATER FACILITY TYPE | SPILL PRIMARY CAUSE | RIVER BASIN | WATERWAY IMPACTED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-12-15 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | Withlacoochee Equalization Basin – 3100 Block of Weatherington Lane – Valdosta | 0 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | WWTP | Wet weather | Withlacoochee River | |
| 2018-12-14 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 1208 Waynewright Drive – Valdosta | 51800 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | One Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-14 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | North Oak Street/Midbriar Drive | 41700 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | Three Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-14 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 408 Mildred Street – Valdosta | 123375 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | Knight’s Creek | |
| 2018-12-14 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 817 Gornto Road – Valdosta | 27500 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | Two Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-14 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 1603 Azalea Drive – Valdosta | 39970 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | Two Mile Branch |
Here’s a screenshot of all the recent data from GA-EPD for spills into the Suwannee River Basin.
Valdosta previous WWTP spill total
And we finally have a total for the WWTP spill that started December 3, 2018: 2,200,000 gallons of raw sewage.
| BEGIN DATE | FACILITY NAME | COUNTY | CITY | OVERFLOW LOCATION | QUANTITY GALLONS | OVERFLOW TYPE | PERMIT NUMBER | WASTEWATER FACILITY TYPE | SPILL PRIMARY CAUSE | RIVER BASIN | WATERWAY IMPACTED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | Lee Street and E Jane – Valdosta | 64400 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | One Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 1100 Block of Ponderosa – Valdosta (1101 Ponderosa) | 13125 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | One Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 1200 Block of Waynewright – Valdosta (1208 Wainwright) | 166725 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | One Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 400 Block of Mildred Street – Valdosta | 210000 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | Knights Creek | |
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 1400 Block of Lola – Valdosta (1403 Lola) | 56625 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | One Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | Mack Drive Station – Valdosta | 162800 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Pump Station | Wet weather | Two Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 1300 Block of Lee Street – Valdosta (1305 Lee Street) | 290475 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | One Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | Troup and E Ann Street – Valdosta | 31545 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | One Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | North Forrest and Brookwood – Valdosta | 45300 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | One Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 1200 Block of Ponderosa – Valdosta (1201 Ponderosa) | 52500 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | One Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-03 | Lowndes County (South Regional WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | Madison Highway near Exit 11 – Valdosta | 35000 | Raw Sewage | GAJ020294 | Collection System | Wet weather | Trib. of Bevel Creek | |
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | Samuel/Holiday – Valdosta | 242325 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | Duke’s Bay Canal | |
| 2018-12-03 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 3600 Block of Lake Laurie Road – Valdosta | 21500 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | Cherry Creek | |
| 2018-12-02 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | William Street and College Street Intersection – Valdosta | 299850 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | One Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-02 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 800 Block of Gornto Road – Valdosta (817 Gornto) | 244650 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | Two Mile Branch | |
| 2018-12-02 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 1800 Block of East Park Avenue – Valdosta (1810 E Park Avenue) | 15575 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | Knight’s Creek | |
| 2018-12-02 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | Withlacoochee Equalization Basin – 3100 Block of Weatherington Lane – Valdosta | 2200000 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | WWTP | Wet weather | Spring Creek | |
| 2018-12-02 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | Bay Street and Hines | 0 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | TBD | |
| 2018-12-02 | Valdosta, City of (Withlacoochee WPCP) | Lowndes | Valdosta | 700 Block of Lamar Street – Valdosta | 54525 | Raw Sewage | GA0033235 | Collection System | Wet weather | One Mile Branch |
But that’s not all. Valdosta had 18 other spills during that same previous timeframe, totalling 2,006,920 gallons of raw sewage. Including 299,850 gallons of raw sewage from the corner of William and College Streets, two blocks from VSU and two blocks from Drexel Park and One Mile Branch.
Seriously, Valdosta, two million gallons of raw sewage from 18 locations wasn’t worth mentioning to the public?
That’s a total of 4,206,920 gallons of raw sewage in those previous spills.
Plus the new 284,345 gallons of raw sewage adds up to 4,491,265 of raw sewage from Valdosta in the month of December. That we know of so far: remember the new WWTP spill is not yet counted up.
Maybe you, dear reader, feel motivated to help with the new WWALS water quality testing program.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
PS: Here’s what Valdosta is doing about it.
Short Link: