Sewage into Two Mile Branch towards the Withlacoochee River 2016-02-15

I wonder what this “debris” was? And the rags? Anyway, Valdosta has fixed another sanitary sewage spill. Probably if you stay out of the water around 2500 Bemiss Road (south of Northside Drive) you’ll be OK. But you may also want to know where Two Mile Branch goes downstream, and as usual Valdosta didn’t tell us.

HUC boundaries aerial As we recall from Valdosta’s last episode of multiple wastewater spills earlier this month, Two Mile Branch runs into Sugar Creek which goes into the Withlacoochee River, and eventually into the Suwannee River and the Gulf of Mexico. Don’t be surprised if you see a Florida Department of Health advisory like the one earlier this month.

HUC boundaries aerial

As you can see in an undated article, Sewer Main Work on J.L. Lomax, S. Briggs at Savannah, and Florida Ave., Valdosta continues busily working its upwards of $300 million in sanitary sewer improvements. Meanwhile, things like yesterday’s event continue to happen. Hm, in Section 4.6 of Master Stormwater Management Plan it seems that block of Bemiss Road is listed among Level of Service Violations and Water Quality Problem Areas.

Level of Service Violations and Water Quality Problem Areas

Here’s the full Valdosta PR about this spill of 15 February 2016, City Responds to Sanitary Sewer Overflow Caused by Debris Buildup,

Land Use and Soils At approximately 11:51 a.m. on Feb. 15, 2016, the City of Valdosta Utilities Department staff responded to call concerning a sanitary sewer spill at the 2500 block of Bemiss Road. A blockage was identified, and the stormwater drain and its discharge point into the stream was cleaned and disinfected.

City staff removed a blockage from the sewer line that caused approximately 1,450 gallons of sewer to spill into a storm drain that drains into Two Mile Branch. The blockage was caused by a buildup of debris along with rags that had accumulated around them. The city has done extensive manhole rehabilitation throughout the city in recent years and is in phase 5 of this process at this time. This particular area is scheduled for manhole rehabilitation in the near future.

Sub-basins Although the level of potential contamination to the creek is minimal, the public is advised to avoid contact with the water adjacent to the 2500 block of Bemiss Road for the next seven days. Warning signs have been posted at that location.

For more information, contact the Utility Department Environmental Manager Scott Fowler at 229-259-3592.

Posted by Sementha Mathews Monday, February 15, 2016 4:09:00 PM Categories: Environmental Press Release Public Information Utilities

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