A mechanical failure caused by heavy rain at the R.M. Clayton Water Reclamation Center has sent dangerous levels of E.coli bacteria surging into the Chattahoochee River.
According to a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the contaminated wastewater is causing E.coli bacteria rates to skyrocket downstream of the plant.
Jason Ulseth, executive director of the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, urged people to stay out of the river downstream of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Water recreation should still be safe upstream of the plant, Ulseth told the AJC.
“Some level of treatment is happening, but not to any sufficient level to protect public health downstream of the plant for many, many miles,” Ulseth said. “This is a really big deal and it poses a significant health hazard to anybody coming in contact with the river.
“People need to know that they should avoid river contact until this plant is back online and fully operational,” he continued.
According to a spokesperson from the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, the incident wasn’t an actual sewage spill. The spokesperson said high water flow from heavy rain caused mechanical failures at the plant, so DWM is doing “corrective and preventive maintenance” to remove additional pollutants that got through the primary treatment.
Eight mobile clarifiers – tanks that help remove untreated sewage – have been added during the repairs, and more disinfectant is being used to lower E. coli levels, according to the spokesperson.
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