Tag Archives: testing

Bad Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek, One Mile Branch and Alapaha River 2024-11-13

Update 2024-11-16: Withlacoochee River and Two Mile Branch better, Hightower and Sugar Creeks very bad 2024-11-14.

Water quality was bad for the Withlacoochee River at Sullivan Launch for Tuesday in results from Madison Department of Health.

Bad for One Mile Branch and Sugar Creek in results from the City of Valdosta for Wednesday and from WWALS tester Scotti Jay.

And bad for the Alapaha River at Sheboggy for Sunday in results from WWALS tester Heather Brasell.

Plus the Withlacoochee River is still in Action Stage around Valdosta, and not coming down fast.

So it’s best to avoid the Withlacoochee River for a few more days at least. Probably the Alapaha River, as well.

Better luck with the Suwannee or Santa Fe Rivers, or the Ichetucknee if any park entrances are open there.

Remember, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene. So check before you go.

[Bad Withlacoochee River 2024-11-12 Bad Sugar Creek 2024-11-13 Bad One Mile Branch 2024-11-13 Bad Alapaha River 2024-11-10]
Bad Withlacoochee River 2024-11-12 Bad Sugar Creek 2024-11-13 Bad One Mile Branch 2024-11-13 Bad Alapaha River 2024-11-10

No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida.

Valdosta’s flash flood spills finally showed up today in the GA-EPD Sewage Spills Report. Continue reading →

DOH-Madison Issues Health Advisory Near Withlacoochee River 2024-11-13

Update 2024-11-14: Bad Withlacoochee River, Sugar Creek, One Mile Branch and Alapaha River 2024-11-13.

I don’t know why it took them a week to do this.

[DOH-Madison Health Advisory Near Withlacoochee River 2024-11-13 due to a wastewater overflow in the City of Valdosta, Georgia]
DOH-Madison Health Advisory Near Withlacoochee River 2024-11-13 due to a wastewater overflow in the City of Valdosta, Georgia

November 13, 2024

Florida
HEALTH

DOH-Madison Issues Health Advisory
Near Withlacoochee River

Contact:
Lisa Hayes
Lisa.Hayes@flhealth.gov
850-879-0683

Madison, Fla.— The Florida Department of Health in Madison County (DOH-Madison) has issued a health advisory to residents and visitors near the Withlacoochee River in North Florida due to a wastewater overflow in the City of Valdosta, Georgia, that resulted in E.coli levels exceeding the 235 MPN/100ml threshold. It is recommended that residents and visitors avoid coming in contact with the impacted water, such as swimming or fishing.

DOH-Madison, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and Suwannee River Water Management District are working together to assess and closely monitor the situation. As these assessments continue, we will provide updates to the public.

DOH plans to conduct sampling and testing this week along the Withlacoochee River.

Until further information is known regarding possible bacterial contamination of the river, residents and visitors in the area are urged to take precautions when in contact with the Withlacoochee River.

Water contaminated with elevated fecal bacteria presents several health risks to humans. Microbes normally found with fecal bacteria could cause gastrointestinal issues and other conditions.

Anyone who comes in contact with the river water should wash thoroughly, especially before eating or drinking. Children and older adults, as well as people with weakened immune systems, are particularly vulnerable to disease, so every precaution should be taken if in contact with the river water.

For more information about the potential health effects of wastewater overflow, contact DOH- Madison at 850-973-5000 or visit Madison.FloridaHealth.gov.

### Continue reading →

Valdosta sewage spills contained after flash flood 2024-11-11

Update 2024-12-13: Valdosta sewage spill reports to GA-EPD from November 7 through December 3, 2024 2024-12-03.

Update 2024-11-14: DOH-Madison Issues Health Advisory Near Withlacoochee River 2024-11-13

Received yesterday at 5:02 PM, November 11, 2024.

Thanks, Valdosta, for the update, and for mentioning the waterbodies affected for the WWTP and Wainwright Drive.

Regarding repairs, WWALS and many others have been asking for the Wainwright Drive manhole to be fixed for many years.

[Valdosta sewage spills contained 2024-11-11, after flash flood 2024-11-06, 7.2 millions gallons from WWTP, 272,500-276,500 from 6 others]
Valdosta sewage spills contained 2024-11-11, after flash flood 2024-11-06, 7.2 millions gallons from WWTP, 272,500-276,500 from 6 others

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
DATE: Monday, November 11, 2024
CONTACT: Sharah Denton, Community Relations & Marketing Manager
Telephone: (229) 259-3548

City of Valdosta Update: Sanitary Overflow at Withlacoochee WWTP and Wainwright Drive Contained Following Historic Rainfall

UPDATE: 11/11/2024: At this time both the Withlacoochee WWTP and Wainwright Sanitary Overflows have stopped. Withlacoochee WWTP has an estimated overflow of 7.2 million Gallons from its secondary EQ Basin which enters a tributary before entering the Withlacoochee River. Wainwright Drive’s estimated overflow is 250,000 gallons. This overflow entered one mile branch, Sugar Creek and will enter the Withlacoochee River. Notifications have been sent to all required parties. Utilities Central Lines, Plant and Central Maintenance Crews have been dispatched to these locations for damage assessments, repairs and clean up. Environmental Services have actively placed Spill notification signs at access points and have begun required monitoring, sampling and testing of all required locations.

On November 7, 2024, the City of Valdosta and surrounding South Georgia region experienced a significant rain event, Continue reading →

Cleaner downstream Withlacoochee River 2024-11-09

Update 2024-11-11: Roads closed after Valdosta flash flood 2024-11-10..

Apparently it’s washing downstream. WWALS tester Russ Tatum got much better E. coli results for Saturday for Holly Point on the Withlacoochee River, near the Suwannee River.

Still best to avoid the Withlacoochee River for a few more days at least. Also, the Withlacoochee and the Alapaha are in Action Stage, so too high anyway.

Better luck with the Suwannee or Santa Fe Rivers, or the Ichetucknee if any park entrances are open there.

Remember, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene. So check before you go.

Or join us Saturday for the Walking Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup after Hurricane Helene, Troupville Boat Ramp 2024-11-16. Which may involve boating if the river level doesn’t go back down by then.

[Cleaner downstream Withlacoochee River 2024-11-09 After Valdosta flash flood]
Cleaner downstream Withlacoochee River 2024-11-09 After Valdosta flash flood

Unlike his result for Friday of 1,033, Russ Tatum’s result for Saturday at Holly Point was 4 + 4 + 2 = 10 / 3 = 3.3 * 100 = 333.3 cfu/100mL. Continue reading →

Filthy Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River 2024-11-08

Update 2024-11-09: Cleaner downstream Withlacoochee River 2024-11-09.

Two WWALS testers got very bad results for Friday on Sugar Creek in Valdosta and for Holly point on the Withlacoochee River down near the Suwannee.

Best to avoid the Withlacoochee River for a few more days at least, because of E. coli. Also, the Withlacoochee and the Alapaha are in Action Stage, so too high anyway.

Better luck with the Suwannee or Santa Fe Rivers, or the Ichetucknee if any park entrances are open there.

Remember, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene. So check before you go.

[Filthy Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River 2024-11-08 Ongoing spills in Valdosta after flash flood]
Filthy Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River 2024-11-08 Ongoing spills in Valdosta after flash flood

The good news: very little more rain has fallen since the Wednesday flash flood.

The bad news: still no report of the remaining sewage spills stopping, and still no sewage spill warning signs in Valdosta. Continue reading →

Filthy Withlacoochee and Little Rivers 2024-11-07

Update 2024-11-10: Filthy Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River 2024-11-08.

Valdosta Utilities got bad results for the Withlacoochee River at GA 133 for Wednesday, and WWALS got much worse for Thursday. Plus the Little River at Troupville Boat Ramp (also GA 133) tested about as bad for Thursday.

Valdosta reported seven sewage spills, two ongoing. All but one of those spill sites has spilled before. One of the ongoing is at the Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant, so bad news. The other ongoing is at Wainwright Drive, site of numerous previous spills, now with two (2) manholes spewing sewage.

The good news for Valdosta is that with the Little River sky-high E. coli reading being about as high as the one for the Withlacoochee River, not all of the contamination can be coming from Valdosta, because the Little River is not downstream from Valdosta.

The foot of rain on Valdosta from the fringe of Hurricane Rafael that caused all this has also raised the Withlacoochee River into Action or Minor Flood Stages, and the Alapaha River at Statenville is heading for Action Stage.

So if you want to paddle, motor, fish, or swim this weekend, I’d avoid the Little, Withlacoochee, or Alapaha Rivers. Better luck with the Suwannee or Santa Fe Rivers, or the Ichetucknee if any park entrances are open there.

Remember, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene. So check before you go.

[Filthy Withlacoochee and Little Rivers 2024-11-07 Also flooding after a foot of rain]
Filthy Withlacoochee and Little Rivers 2024-11-07 Also flooding after a foot of rain

Continue reading →

Manholes spewing sewage into One Mile Branch at Wainwright Drive, Valdosta, GA 2024-11-08

Update 2024-11-08: Filthy Withlacoochee and Little Rivers 2024-11-07.

Scotti Jay wrote today, “Day 2 of the sewage fountain on Wainright Dr. One Mile Branch that flows to Sugar Creek>Withlacoochee River>Suwannee River>Gulf of Mexico. Approaching 72 hours since the heavy rains and no warning signs installed by the city. No public notice. Nothing…”

[Manholes spewing sewage into One Mile Branch, Wainwright Drive Valdosta, GA, second day, 2024-11-08]
Manholes spewing sewage into One Mile Branch, Wainwright Drive Valdosta, GA, second day, 2024-11-08

He’s referring to the foot of rain that fell on Valdosta Wednesday and Thursday, 6-7 November 2024, causing flooding and bridge and school closures.

Valdosta City Schools posted on Thursday morning a list of streets closed, as did the City of Valdosta, Lowndes County Schools, and the Georgia Department of Transportation.

WWALS posted yesterday about yet another ongoing sewage spill at Knob Hill Road: pictures and video.

Only today do we finally get a report by the City about seven sewage spills, two still ongoing, including at Wainwright Drive. Why couldn’t the City let everyone know about sewage spills as soon as they knew? Warning people not to drive into flood waters is important, but why is telling people about contaminated waterways not as urgent?

As Scotti asks, why no sewer spill warning signs?

Why has that manhole at Wainwright Drive not been fixed yet? We were complaining about it back in 2021 and before. The same location (and many of the others of this time) spilled Hurricane Debby.

The builder put in another, higher, manhole. But they did not remove the old one. And in these videos you can see both manholes still spewing sewage.

These are not criticisms of Valdosta Utilities or its Director. They are questions for the City Manager, Mayor, and Council, about their priorities.

Here’s a playlist of the videos Sara Squires Jones took today:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-Qz6Ljyu3iNBI2tsx_3kqHD3&si=x91G0JX49wonCNeb Continue reading →

Valdosta reports seven sewage spills, two ongoing 2024-11-08

Update 2024-11-12: Valdosta sewage spills contained after flash flood 2024-11-11.

Update 2024-11-08: Manholes spewing sewage into One Mile Branch at Wainwright Drive, Valdosta, GA 2024-11-08.

Received via email at 11:11 AM this morning: “Although most of the discharge is primarily stormwater, residents are urged to avoid contact with rivers, creeks, streams, or tributaries until further notice.”

[Seven sewage spills, two ongoing, Valdosta, GA, including the Withlacoochee WWTP 2024-11-08]
Seven sewage spills, two ongoing, Valdosta, GA, including the Withlacoochee WWTP 2024-11-08

WWALS has some evidence that there is substantial E. coli in the water. Stay tuned for that.

Meanwhile, it looks like adding another catch basin at Valdosta’s Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) would have been a good idea after all.

And I’d like to know, why did the City of Valdosta only inform the public about these spills more than a day after they started?

This is not a criticism of the Valdosta Utilities Department or its Director, who I continue to maintain is doing much more than his predecessors.

This is a question for the City Manager, Mayor, and Council.

Valdosta City Schools informed the public quickly about road closures. (Nevermind why Schools and not Public Works or the City’s Public Information Officer.)

Why did the City not inform the public as quickly about sewage getting into the waterways?

Everybody knows there are spills. WWALS already posted pictures and video of the Knob Hill Road spill. But we didn’t know about all of them.

So, tell us, top of the Valdosta City government, why didn’t you inform everyone?

If it’s appropriate today to warn people to stay away from the waterways, why wasn’t that appropriate yesterday?

Will you inform the public next time?

There will be a next time. Sure, this flash flood as a side effect of Hurricane Rafael is unusual. But so was Cat 2 Hurricane Helene. And Hurricane Debby before that. And Hurricane Idalia before that.

None of us can pretend any of that won’t happen again, or worse. The City of Valdosta can keep us all better informed.

City of Valdosta Experiences Significant Rain Event and Flooding, Resulting in Overwhelmed Sanitary Sewer and Stormwater Systems

Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-10-31

WWALS testers Kimberly Godden Tanner and Cindy Vedas got very low E. coli for the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers Thursday. For the Withlacoochee River Wednesday, WWALS tester Russ Tatum got very low results, and Valdosta Utilities got low results.

The weather prediction is still sunny.

The water levels are back down to normal or low everywhere in the Suwannee River Basin. Some rivers, such as the Withlacoochee near Valdosta, are too low for much paddling or motoring.

However, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene, including Langdale Park and Ichetucknee Springs North.

So if you can find an accessible stretch, happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing.

[Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2024-10-31 No sewage spills and no rain: happy paddling!]
Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers 2024-10-31 No sewage spills and no rain: happy paddling!

Alapaha River

Kimberley Godden Tanner noted for Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach on the Alapaha River Thursday, Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-10-24

Update 2024-11-02: Clean Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2024-10-31.

WWALS testers Cindy Vedas and Kimberly Godden Tanner got zero (0) E. coli for the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers Thursday. That matches the very low results from Valdosta Utilities for the Withlacoochee River Wednesday.

The weather prediction is still sunny and cool.

The water levels are back down to normal, except for the Santa Fe River at Three Rivers Estates, which is still in Action Stage and predicted to stay there for a while. Some rivers, such as the Withlacoochee near Valdosta, are almost too low.

However, many parks and put-ins remain closed after Hurricane Helene, including Ichetucknee Springs North.

So if you can find an accessible stretch, happy paddling, motoring, swimming, and fishing.

[Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha River 2024-10-24 Sunny and No Rain. Happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing.]
Clean Withlacoochee and Alapaha River 2024-10-24 Sunny and No Rain. Happy paddling, boating, swimming, and fishing.

Cindy Vedas noted for Franklinville Thursday, “Several trees down. River looks clean. And it is.”

For Staten Road Thursday, also on the Withlacoochee River, she wrote, “ Got lots of chainsaw work to do. River level looks good for fishing. And clean!”

Kimberley Tanner noted for Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach on the Alapaha River Thursday, “Both locations looked great and the samples were clean. No issues with the control this time using the microwave method. Hard to believe what a difference a couple weeks makes.” Continue reading →