Tag Archives: Valdosta Utilities

Wainwright Drive Manhole not leaking after several inches of rain –Scotti Jay 2026-10-04

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Scotti Jay reports that the replacement manhole at the previously-notoriously-leaky Wainwright Drive site by One Mile Branch is not leaking, even after substantial rain!

Congratulations, Director Jason Barnes and Valdosta Utilities on this upgrade back in August 2025.

[Wainwright Drive Manhole not leaking into One Mile Branch after several inches of rain --Scotti Jay 2026-10-04]
Wainwright Drive Manhole not leaking into One Mile Branch after several inches of rain –Scotti Jay 2026-10-04

Before the upgrade, that manhole had spewed 965,875 gallons of raw sewage from 2016 through 2025.

Since the upgrade, it has spewed none.

Not only that, after even more rain, as of Friday, October 8, 2026, Valdosta had reported no sewage spills at all.

This doesn’t mean there are no remaining Valdosta sewage problems. Plenty of old leaky sewer lines to fix yet.

And something is still getting into Sugar Creek after big rains.

But credit where credit is due: Valdosta has gotten much better about keeping its sewage from spilling.

Oh, and Floridians, that’s Valdosta, not Lowndes County. Lowndes County has its own sewer system, which has not reported any sewage spills in years.

Here’s the new manhole not leaking this Sunday, October 4, 2026. Continue reading →

Filthy upstream 2026-10-05, clean downstream Withlacoochee River, clean Santa Fe River 2026-10-08

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The Withlacoochee River tested filthy upstream Monday, but clean downstream Thursday. The Santa Fe River tested clean downstream Wednesday.

The big rains this week from Hurricane Isaias may have washed more contamination into creeks and rivers, especially from Sugar Creek.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, but in Georgia Tifton spilled unknown gallons of raw sewage; see below.

Isaias is only a post-tropical cyclone now, but it’s still bringing thunderstorms.

The Little River is in Action Stage at Folsom Bridge on GA 122. The Withlacoochee River is in Action Stage down to Pinetta. The Alapaha River is in Action Stage at Statenville. The Santa Fe River is in Action Stage at O’Leno State Park.

So according to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, boating, and fishing, but avoid the Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers, go downstream on the Santa Fe, or try the Ichetucknee or Suwannee Rivers. Also maybe wait until Sunday for the rains to clear.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for details.

[Filthy up 2026-10-05 clean down, Withlacoochee River 2026-10-08, Clean Santa Fe River 2026-10-07, More rain, more contamination]
Filthy up 2026-10-05 clean down, Withlacoochee River 2026-10-08, Clean Santa Fe River 2026-10-07, More rain, more contamination

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha, Withlacoochee, Santa Fe Rivers before rains 2026-10-02

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Update 2026-10-10: Filthy upstream 2026-10-05, clean downstream Withlacoochee River, clean Santa Fe River 2026-10-08.

The Santa Fe and Withlacoochee Rivers tested clean this week, and the Santa Fe River last Friday.

But there have been big rains the last day or so, so watch out for what may have been washed into the rivers, especially from Sugar Creek.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, but in Georgia Sylvester spilled 7,000 gallons of raw sewage; see below.

So according to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, boating, and fishing, but avoid the Withlacoochee River between Sugar Creek and the Little River Confluence.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for details.

[Clean Alapaha 2026-09-25, Withlacoochee 2026-10-02, Santa Fe 2026-09-01, Rivers before Rains]
Clean Alapaha 2026-09-25, Withlacoochee 2026-10-02, Santa Fe 2026-09-01, Rivers before Rains

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Clean Santa Fe River and Withlacoochee 2026-09-24 except downstream from Sugar Creek 2026-09-22

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Update 2026-10-03: Clean Alapaha, Withlacoochee, Santa Fe Rivers before rains 2026-10-02.

Update 2026-09-26: Apparently no effect of dirty milk water spill downstream to Pride Branch 2026-09-25.

The Santa Fe and Withlacoochee Rivers tested clean this week.

Except the Withlacoochee was filthy Tuesday at GA 133, downstream from Sugar Creek, after rains Monday and Tuesday.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia, or Florida.

There was the Wednesday dirty milk water spill on US 84 west of Quitman in Brooks County, into Pride Branch, Piscola Creek, Okapilco Creek, and the Withlacoochee River upstream from Knights Ferry Boat Ramp. But the downstream landowner says there has been no fish kill nor any other obvious ill effects on the creek or Purdue Sinks. More on that in another post.

So according to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, boating, and fishing, but avoid the Withlacoochee River between Sugar Creek and the Little River Confluence.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for details.

[Clean Santa Fe River, and Withlacoochee 2026-09-24, except downstream from, Sugar Creek 2026-09-22]
Clean Santa Fe River, and Withlacoochee 2026-09-24, except downstream from, Sugar Creek 2026-09-22

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

OK Sugar Creek 2026-09-12, OK Withlacoochee River 2026-09-14, Clean Santa Fe River 2026-09-16

Update 2026-09-26: Clean Santa Fe River and Withlacoochee except downstream from Sugar Creek 2026-09-24.

Sugar Creek is OK this week, according to a WWALS Saturday sample. Nonetheless, the Withlacoochee River tested OK Monday in Valdosta’s results, and the Santa Fe River tested clean Wednesday in WWALS results.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia, or Florida.

So according to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[OK Sugar Creek 2026-09-12, OK Withlacoochee River 2026-09-14, Clean Santa Fe River 2026-09-16, Happy paddling, swimming, fishing]
OK Sugar Creek 2026-09-12, OK Withlacoochee River 2026-09-14, Clean Santa Fe River 2026-09-16, Happy paddling, swimming, fishing

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Filthy Sugar Creek 2026-09-07, OK Withlacoochee River 2026-09-08, Clean Santa Fe River and Poe Springs 2026-09-09

Update 2026-09-18: OK Sugar Creek 2026-09-12, OK Withlacoochee River 2026-09-14, Clean Santa Fe River 2026-09-16.

Sugar Creek and Hightower Creek are filthy again, from WWALS Monday samples. And again, nobody knows why. WWALS will investigate.

Nonetheless, the Withlacoochee River tested OK Tuesday in Georgia and clean Wednesday in Florida.

The Santa Fe River and Poe Springs tested clean for Wednesday.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia, or Florida.

So according to the results we have, still avoid Sugar Creek and its tributaries such as Hightower Creek. But on the rivers, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, if you can avoid the rains.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Filthy Sugar Creek 2026-09-07, OK Withlacoochee River 2026-09-08, Clean Santa Fe River, and Poe Springs 2026-09-09]
Filthy Sugar Creek 2026-09-07, OK Withlacoochee River 2026-09-08, Clean Santa Fe River, and Poe Springs 2026-09-09

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Clean Alapaha River 2026-08-28, Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2026-09-02

Update 2026-09-11: Filthy Sugar Creek 2026-09-07, OK Withlacoochee River 2026-09-08, Clean Santa Fe River and Poe Springs 2026-09-09.

Much better results this week. The Alapaha River tested clean for last Friday, the Withlacoochee River for Monday and Wednesday, and the Santa Fe River for Wednesday.

We have no new results for Sugar Creek, so I’d still avoid it.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia, but in Florida there was the Lake City WTP Spill of 149,904 gallons of “Treated Effluent” maybe into Alligator Lake above Ichetucknee Headspring.

https://wwals.net/?p=71000

So according to the results we have, still avoid Sugar Creek and its tributaries One Mile Branch and Hightower Creek. But on the rivers, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, if you can avoid the rains.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Alapaha River 2026-08-28, Withlacoochee 2026-08-31 and 2029-09-02, and Santa Fe River 2026-09-02, Happy paddling, boating, swimming, & fishing]
Clean Alapaha River 2026-08-28, Withlacoochee 2026-08-31 and 2029-09-02, and Santa Fe River 2026-09-02, Happy paddling, boating, swimming, & fishing

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Filthy Sugar Creek, OK Withlacoochee River 2026-08-26 Clean Santa Fe River 2026-08-27

Update 2026-09-04: Clean Alapaha River 2026-08-28, Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2026-09-02.

Something is wrong with Sugar Creek that is hard to explain by first flush, yet no sewage spills have been found.

WWALS tested Sugar Creek filthy Saturday and Wednesday at the WaterGoat. Valdosta Utilities corroborated that for Wednesday at Gornto Road. Upstream on Hightower Creek at Gornto Road, Valdosta Utilities got too high for Monday, and way-too high for Wednesday, matching WWALS the result for that site. Valdosta also got too high for Wednesday on One Mile Branch at West Gordon Street, but not nearly as high as on Hightower Branch. More on all that below.

Meanwhile, Valdosta Utilities got OK results for the Withlacoochee River upstream at US 41 (North Valdosta Road) and downstream at GA 133 and US 84. WWALS got clean results at Holly Point, only four miles upstream from the Suwannee River.

And WWALS got clean Thursday results for the Santa Fe River.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

So according to the results we have, avoid Sugar Creek and its tributaries One Mile Branch and Hightower Creek. But on the rivers, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, if you can avoid the rains.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Filthy Sugar Creek 2026-08-26, OK Withlacoochee River, Clean Santa Fe River 2026-08-27]
Filthy Sugar Creek 2026-08-26, OK Withlacoochee River, Clean Santa Fe River 2026-08-27

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2026-08-19

Update 2026-08-28: Filthy Sugar Creek, OK Withlacoochee River, Clean Santa Fe River 2026-08-27.

The Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers tested clean this week.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia, but there was an update on the August 5 Tifton spill.

So according to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, if you can avoid the rains.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, No new sewage spills, Happy paddling 2026-08-19]
Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, No new sewage spills, Happy paddling 2026-08-19

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2026-06-25

Update 2026-07-03: Clean Withlacoochee River 2026-06-29 and Alapaha River 2026-07-01.

The Withlacoochee River and the Santa Fe River tested clean in the results we have for this week. Even Sugar Creek tested pretty clean.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

According to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, and it’s even supposed to be sunny this weekend.

Maybe you’d like to join WWALS for Gibson County Park to SRSP Paddle, Suwannee River 2026-06-27.

https://wwals.net/?p=70541

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, plus Sugar Creek, 2026-06-25]
Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, plus Sugar Creek, 2026-06-25

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →