Category Archives: Testing

Good news and puzzling new in Valdosta water quality data 2018-12-26

There’s good news in response to the weekly open records request from WWALS to Valdosta: all stations reporting are well within the Georgia state limit for bacterial levels. There’s also some puzzling news.

Graph, Withlacoochee

The puzzling news is that Continue reading

Almost all below the limit 2018-12-19

The irony: Valdosta’s warning sign is still up at Troupville Boat Ramp after its six spills weekend before last, yet Valdosta’s own weekly water quality testing stations almost all measured below the state limits for Fecal coliform and E. coli.

Graph, Withlacoochee

The exception was at Continue reading

Florida Health Departments warn on Valdosta sewage in Withlacoochee River 2018-12-17

Once again, Valdosta sewage spills prompt Florida Health Department warnings for the Withlacoochee River.


Map: USGS Streamer.

There is nothing on the websites of the Health Departments of Hamilton or Madison Counties. I found this on the facebook page of the Madison County Florida Board of County Commissioners. It’s also on the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management, “Posted on behalf of the Florida Dept of Health Hamilton”.

December 17, 2018

HEALTH OFFICIALS IN HAMILTON, MADISON COUNTY ADVISE OF POSSIBLE WASTEWATER CONTAMINATION IN THE WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER HEALTH

Possible Impacts from Valdosta, GA Wastewater Overflow Continue reading

Bacteria levels all dropped 2018-12-12

Bacterial levels at all stations Valdosta tests dropped this week, according to the Wednesday 12 Dec 2018 test results returned for a WWALS open records request.

Graph, Withlacoochee

The only station above the 200 cfu/100 ml Fecal coliform limit was at Continue reading

Florida Water Quality Testing Training, SRSP 2019-01-21

WWALS is holding Florida water quality testing training, thanks to trainer Savanna Barry of the Nature Coast Biological Station.

When: Noon (12PM), Monday, January 21, 2019

Where: Pavillion 2, Suwannee River State Park, 3631 201st Path, Live Oak, FL 32060

Event: facebook, meetup; don’t forget to RSVP.

RSVP: If you want to be trained, please let us know in advance so we can be sure to have enough materials; please use this google form.

Fee: No fee. But SRSP does charge a $5 entrance fee. Feel free to make a donation to WWALS or to join, to support our activities and our advocacy such as our Water Quality Testing Program.

Suwannee River and pavillions, SRSP

If you have been trained in Georgia, Continue reading

WCTV: Spills, Lowndes County, Valdosta, and WWALS testing and EPD ask 2018-12-06

The local TV station is keeping Lowndes County and Valdosta on their toes about sewage, while WWALS starts testing and continues urging GA-EPD to tell everybody when anybody spills.

Bacteria, WWALS: Suwannee Riverkeeper

Emma Wheeler, WCTV, 6 December 2018, Heavy rain causes sewage spill in Lowndes County, Continue reading

Over the Fecal coliform line at the state line, Withlacoochee River 2018-12-05

Another mysterious rise of bacterial counts at Horn Bridge, at Mozell Spells, near State Line Ramp, Withlacoochee River, in the latest data from Valdosta, from Wednesday, December 5, 2018, obtained as usual through open records request.

Graph, Withlacoochee

Continue reading

Valdosta sewer system lift station generators and communications @ LCC 2018-12-06

Maybe you’d like to come compliment Valdosta on the sewer system items on their agenda for tonight (see below), and ask them what they’re doing to prevent WWTP spills, in Citizens to be Heard. That’s 5:30 PM, today, Thursday, December 6, 2018, at Valdosta City Hall, 216 East Central Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia.

Nothing is on the agenda about the recent major spill at the Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant for tonight’s Valdosta City Council meeting.

However, there are three other sewage-related items: Continue reading

Bacterial levels rising again 2018-11-28

The Alapahoochee River at the GA-FL line measured ten times the EPA limit on Fecal coliform again this Wednesday, November 28, 2018.

GA 135 Alapahaoochee River, Alapaha

It does not seem to be coming downriver from Valdosta. Continue reading

Much better readings in Valdosta water quality data 2018-11-21

Suddenly, all the fecal coliform readings are down. Was there a first flush from the rain on November 14 that caused the high readings of that day, and all that washed down the rivers within a week?

Graph, Withlacoochee Basin

At US 41 (North Valdosta Road), the Withlacoochee River was actually in minor flood several of the intervening days, according to the USGS US 41 (Valdosta) Gauge. Continue reading