Update 2019-12-17: City of Valdosta Water Quality Testing, Gornto Rd., US 84 2019-12-12.

Good news: WWALS data from the Withlacoochee River matches SRWMD data from the Suwannee River. Both showed clean of E. coli bacteria. This is mystifying: where is the sewage from Valdosta’s record largest sewage spill? So we’ve got WWALS data and SRWMD data posted. Valdosta, where is your data?

Results of WWALS testing Wednesday: zero (no) E. coli at State Line Boat Ramp, Nankin Boat Ramp, and Knights Ferry Boat Ramp showed zero (0) at all three locations.

You can donate to help pay for the Petrifilms and other equipment.

Sean McCarthy, Scotti Jay, Sara Jay at State Line Ramp.

This is not what we expected.

Our Petrifilm and incubator methods are not as precise as Florida’s fancy methods, as in we don’t usually detect levels as low as what Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) reported yesterday, so our zeroes are consistent with the numbers SRWMD reported.

Movie: Sara with a bucket (49M)

No byline, WTXL, Dec 10, updated Dec 11, 2019, More than 7 million gallons of sewage may have contaminated Withlacoochee River,

Darryl Muse is the Utilities Director for the city of Valdosta. He says that they are working tirelessly to make sure that this never happens again.

“Right now we’re taking samples. We’re out there where the creek dumps into the Withlacoochee,” Muse explained. “We’re pulling samples we should have the results of those samples this afternoon and we’ll be able to post those samples to see what the actual affect of the creek was on the river.”

OK, Valdosta, where are those samples? Where did you post them? I don’t find them anywhere on the City of Valdosta’s website. You caused this problem, Valdosta; let’s see your data. I am filing an open records request now, but why should I or anyone else have to?

Valdosta to Madison Blue Springs, in WWALS map of all public landings in the Suwannee River Basin, these all on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.

There are more pictures from Wednesday on the WWALS website.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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