Update 2020-01-30: Videos.

Update 2020-01-05: Earlier this same Wednesday: Florida Sen. Bill Montford hosting Valdosta sewage public meeting in Madison, FL 2020-01-08.

A Special Called Meeting of the Valdosta City Council, about Valdosta’s record-largest raw sewage spill in December 2019, and what to do going forward. Attendees will include the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council (presumably its Task Force on this subject), and apparently GA-EPD, EPA, FDEP, SRWMD, and of course Suwannee Riverkeeper. It is a public meeting, so anyone can attend. If it’s run like previous such meetings, anyone can ask questions. We have plenty. I hope you do, too.

When: 6 PM, Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Where: General Purpose Room, Valdosta City Hall Annex, 300 North Lee Street, Valdosta, GA 31601

Event: facebook

“What storm events keep you up at night?” Alachua County Commissioner Ken Cornell asked Valdosta Utilities Director Darryl Muse, 2019-10-07.

The City Clerk tells me there will be a public notice in the Valdosta Daily Times tomorrow. An agenda will follow, presumably Monday or Tuesday.

Meanwhile, here’s the current water quality of the Withlacoochee River, from Sugar Creek into Florida.

Diluted (12/24-01/01/2020)

Much cleaner than it was, more than four weeks after Valdosta’s record-largest sewage spill started, apparently on December 3, 2019.

If we get some rain in the next two weeks, we’ll be floating easy down the Withlacoochee from Troupville Boat Ramp to Spook Bridge (thanks to The Langdale Company for take out access).

WWTP Outfall, 11:23:17 30.8362200, -83.3592400 2019-06-15.

Emma Wheeler, WCTV, 2 January 2020, Homelessness, public transportation top 2020 list for new Valdosta Mayor,

Mayor James also added that, along with city officials, they are continuing to make it a priority to manage and improve the wastewater and sewage systems throughout the city. They have planned a Mayor’s Paddle with the Watershed Coalition to tour some of the problem sites along the river. That will take place on January 18.

James will be officially sworn in on Thursday.

So apparently outgoing Mayor John Gayle will preside over the Wednesday water meeting.

Once again, so far as I know, you will be able to ask questions at that meeting. I will ask some; how about you?

And, on the paddle you will have several hours to ask questions of the new mayor and, one hopes, other Valdosta city officials.

More: For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS calendar or the WWALS outings and events web page. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

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