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.
Tag Archives: testing
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.
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?
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
What happened on the Alapahoochee River? 2018-11-14
Twenty five times the state limit for Fecal coliform could be a problem. What got into the Alapahoochee River last week?
GA 135, Alapahoochee River, Alapaha Basin
If you want to help find out what’s getting into our rivers, you can Continue reading
Sign up for Water Quality Testing Training
Please sign up to volunteer to do Water Quality Testing, in either Florida or Georgia, using this google form.
https://forms.gle/WfNQEnoiv7LDBAsd8
You can help find out what is getting into our rivers, springs, and wells beyond sewage spills: fertilizer nitrates, livestock, wildlife, septic tanks, other. We also want to follow up after sewage spills, because the limited testing required by states doesn’t tell us how far the spill went.
WWALS testing trainer Gretchen Quarterman does trainings as trainees sign up. See the main Water Quality Testing web page for the next scheduled testing trainings.
Be sure to fill out the google form above so we will know how many. Be ready to test regularly after you get trained.
![[Kit]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-06-05--new-tester-renee-kirkland/kit.jpg)
Anybody can take the training, which is free. But to test for WWALS requires being a WWALS member:
Remember to post your results in Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, and we can use them in Swim Guide.
Sign up, get trained, and then test and report. Continue reading
Four more make 24 asking GA-EPD to tell everyone when anyone spills 2018-11-12
Yes, your organization can still sign on!
![[More Signatures]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2018-10-31--ga-epd-spill-resolution/Resolution-Requesting-GA-EPD-to-timely-publish-spill-reports-0003.jpg)
GA-EPD Richard E. Dunn did answer on November 2, 2018, saying they would look into telling everyone when anyone spills. We will keep collecting signatures and delivering them until we see daily spill updates on the GA-EPD website.
Follow this link for the whole resolution.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
First flush 2018-10-31
Was there rain Wednesday? That might explain the sudden spikes at US 41 on the Withlacoochee River, at GA 133 on the Little River, and at State Line on the Withlacoochee River. We can guess that the rains Thursday and Friday (today) have washed away whatever that very odd spike was at the state line.
Thanks to Valdosta Utilities and Valdosta City Clerk Teresa Bolden for sending this Wednesday’s Valdosta water quality testing data before the end of Friday. For more contact, see https://wwals.net/issues/vww/.
State Line, Withlacoochee River, Withlacoochee Basin
It’s a very odd spike, because Continue reading
Radioactive well water, coal ash, fertilizer, and Tifton superfund sites 2018-10-29
Best to test for arsenic, and maybe lead, radon, and uranium, in your well and hot water heater water. In March 2013, South Health District and the Georgia Department of Health recommended testing for arsenic. That was three years after Janet McMahan discovered the arsenic problem after her family members and pets got cancer. As we wrote a few months before the Health Departments finally made their recommendation, after Janet got Erin Brockovitch involved, you may also find lead and uranium. The problem has not gone away. Also, you may find radon.
Janet wrote Monday:
This Water is from Well on private property 3 miles from Willacoochee. Sample taken from Water Heater. Lady says she uses all of the hot water when taking a shower each morning. Looking for her Radon Level now.
Janet added:
Radon sample collected at Same Well. Continue reading
Low bacterial counts at State Line Ramp 2018-10-24
Valdosta’s bacterial counts are always low at State Line Ramp (Mozell Spells), where we moved the WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia to Florida and back.
Things were generally better last week in the Withlacoochee Basin, except for the Little River at GA 133, just above Troupville Boat Ramp. Continue reading