Valdosta, GA- Heavy rains this week and last have cause yet another spill of wastewater from the Withlacoochie Treatment Plant. According to a release from the city, the plant ‘discharged total suspended solids in excess of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limit.’

The total suspended solids result for the effluent sample collected July 23, 2013 was 77 milligrams per liter. This is greater than 1.5 times the weekly average of 45 milligrams per liter allowed by the NPDES permit, which constitutes a major spill. The volume of the major spill into the Withlacoochee River is the total flow for July 23, which is 7.6 million gallons.

A contractor is expected to be on site within the next two weeks to start work on necessary improvement projects. Warning signs have been placed downstream, and stream sampling of the Withlacoochee River has been initiated as required.