Update 2019-12-10: Valdosta’s biggest spill ever: sewage into Sugar Creek, Withlacoochee River 2019-12-09.
Yet another sewage spill from Valdosta, with no email notification from Valdosta, nothing on the City of Valdosta website, nothing in spills reported to GA-EPD, and nothing on the Hamilton or Madison County, Florida Department of Health websites.
So how do we know? It’s being mailed around from the facebook pages of Madison County Emergency Management and Madison County Florida Board of County Commissioners.
December 9, 2019
HEALTH OFFICIALS IN HAMILTON,
MADISON COUNTY ADVISE OF POSSIBLE
WASTEWATER CONTAMINATION IN THE
WITHLACOOCHEE RIVERPossible Impacts from Valdosta, GA Wastewater Overflow
Contact:
DOH-Hamilton
Sallie Ford
Sallie.Ford@flhealth.gov
386-758-1058
DOH-Madison
Lisa Hayes
Lisa.Hayes@flhealth.gov
850-973-5000Jasper, FL — The Florida Department of Health in Hamilton and Madison counties today issued health advisory to residents and visitors near the Withlacoochee River in North Florida The City of Valdosta, Georgia has reported a large spill of untreated sewage: the spillage will impact water quality flowing from Sugar Creek into the Withlacoachee River.
Until further information is known regarding possible contamination of the river, people in the area are urged to take precautions when in contact with the Withlacoochee River. The Florida Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Protection are conducting water sampling.
Water contaminated with wastewater overflow presents several health risks to humans. Untreated human sewage with microbes could cause gastrointestinal issues and other conditions.
Anyone who comes into contact with the river water should wash thoroughly, especially before eating or drinking. Children and older adults, as well as people with weakened immune systems, are particularly vulnerable to disease, so every precaution should be taken if in contact with the river water.
For more information about the potential health effects of wastewater overflow, Floridians are ‘encouraged to contact DOH-Hamilton at 386-758-1059 or hamilton.floridahealth.gov and DOH-Madison at 850-973-5000 or visit madison.floridahealth.gov. For information pertaining to the spill, contact the Valdosta Utilities Department Environmental Manager, Scott Fowler, at 229-259-3592 or sfowler@valdostacity.com.
About the Florida Department of Health
The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
That notice appeared on Madison County Emergency Management’s facebook page about 7PM. About 9PM it also appeared in the Suwannee Democrat. At 10:12 PM still nothing in the Valdosta Daily Times, Valdosta Today, etc.
I have sent an inquiry to Scott Fowler and some people higher up in the City of Valdosta, plus the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.
Thanks to Sara Jay for spotting this Valdosta sewage spill report.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
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We waited for the promised fix for a decade or more, then they f***ed that up too. I thought FLorida DEP and Madison Co had joined hands in a lawsuit or similar. I know Valdosta just pays the fines and keeps on dumping. It’s like the soil engineers didn’t account for rain in South Central Georgia.
It wasn’t even raining this time. -jsq