Weekend Storm Causes Three Sanitary Sewer Overflows

Weekend Storm Causes Three Sanitary Sewer Overflows

On March 27, 2016, during routine inspections of the sewer system and following heavy holiday weekend rainfall that produced four inches of precipitation, the Utilities Department staff identified sanitary sewer spills at three locations in the city. The spills resulted from stormwater infiltration and inflow (I&I) into the sanitary sewer system, causing it to exceed the capacity of the city's sewer collection system. The storm drains and the discharge points into the streams were immediately cleaned and disinfected.

The combined stormwater and sewer flows resulted in manhole overflows at the following locations:

• An overflow in the 700 block of Cypress Street spilled an estimated 14,725 gallons into Knights Creek.
• An overflow in the 1800 block of Remer Lane spilled an estimated 84,300 gallons into Sugar Creek.
• An overflow in the 600 block of Scott Drive spilled an estimated 2,885 gallons into Sugar Creek.

All appropriate regulatory and public health agencies have been notified, and warning signs have been posted at the spill locations as well as downstream to advise the public to avoid any contact with these waterways for the next seven days. Staff immediately began monitoring and testing the impacted area.

The city continues its ongoing effort to improve the infrastructure of the sewer system to eliminate these issues in the future. Two major projects—the Force Main Project and the relocation of the Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant—to eliminate sewer overflows are rapidly approaching completion and are expected to be operational by May 2016. Improving the sanitary sewer system continues to be the city's main priority.

For more information, contact the Utilities Department Environmental Manager Scott Fowler at 229-259-3592 or sfowler@valdostacity.com.