AP picked up the story about flooding at Valdosta's Withlacoochee
wasterwater treatment plant, citing the VDT and the City
as sources.
The City of Valdosta thinks the County should contribute to replacing the plant,
or maybe the legislature will authorize a municipal option sales tax (MOST).

AP in GPBNews 1 March 2013,

Valdosta Treatment Plant Floods,

Authorities shut down a Valdosta wastewater treatment plant as a river flooded critical buildings and structures. The city estimates an average of 5 million to 6 million gallons of untreated sewage will discharge daily into the Withlacoochee River until the flood waters recede and the plant can resume operation. (Photo Courtesy of John S. Quarterman via Flickr.)

VALDOSTA, Ga. —

Authorities shut down a south Georgia wastewater treatment plant as a
river flooded critical buildings and structures.

Valdosta city officials said power at the plant was shut down
Thursday to prevent further damage to equipment and control systems.

The city estimates an average of 5 million to 6 million gallons of
untreated sewage will discharge daily into the Withlacoochee River
until the flood waters recede and the plant can resume operation.

The AP story continues, but let's cut to the sources.

Valdosta News 28 February 2013,

Withlacoochee WPCP Off Line Until Waters Recede

,

On Feb. 28, 2013, at approximately 9 a.m., the Withlacoochee
Wastewater Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) was taken off line as the
Withlacoochee River continued to rise and began flooding critical
buildings and structures at this facility. Power to these buildings
and structures was shut off to prevent further damage to equipment
and associated electrical and control systems. As a result, an
estimated 5 to 6 million gallons of untreated sewage will be
discharging directly into the river each day until the flood waters
recede and the treatment plant can be returned to normal operation.

It is expected that sewer service to customers in this facility's
service area will continue uninterrupted. However, it is possible
that some customers in extreme low lying areas could experience
slower than normal flow into the sewer system. Signs have been
posted along the river, and citizens should avoid fishing, boating,
swimming or any contact with river water until the flood waters
recede and the treatment plant returns to normal operation.

Upstream and downstream bacteriological sampling has been ongoing
and will continue until the emergency is over.

For more information, contact Environmental Manager John Waite at
(229) 259-3592 or at jwaite@valdostacity.com.

Jason Schaefer
wrote for the VDT 28 February 2013,

Withlacoochee
flooding causes major treatment plant spill:
Safety hazards expected to continue until waters recede

The eight to 10 inches of rain coupled with rainwater from upstream
caused the Withlacoochee River to swell to high flow conditions
Wednesday afternoon, causing a major wastewater spill at the
Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant.

At the plant, floodwaters continued to rise and encroach onto plant
property Wednesday afternoon, causing inflow of an effluent pipe
that runs downhill into the river. Workers on scene guessed the
floodwaters were rising at about four to six inches per hour, and
they did not expect them to recede soon.

The City expects inflow into the system and the major spill of
wastewater to continue until the floodwaters recede, according to a
statement from the office of the City Manager.

The waters should rise another seven feet in the next two to three
days, reaching levels about the same as those experienced during the
2009 flood, according to Utilities Director Henry Hicks.

The inflow has placed low-lying portions of the sewer system and
plant completely underwater, spreading contaminants into the river.
While Valdosta's drinking water will not be affected by the
conditions, swimming, fishing and boating along the river have been
deemed unsafe until the river recedes.

The VDT story goes on about how it will be almost as bad as the flood of 2009,
and the city needs to replace the 40-year-old plant, adding:

The city is hoping to rebuild and relocate the plant as it is now


operating outside limits set for water quality. City officials are
in negotiations with county officials to split a potential SPLOST to
give the city a much larger percentage of the money that would be
collected from the one cent tax.

The City has also worked through the local legislative delegation to
see if they can put a MOST, or municipal option sales tax, on the
ballot in November or next year, in case SPLOST fails again or the
county and other municipalities are unwilling to donate a portion of
their share to the city.

It is curious how Valdosta seems always wanting the county to
donate to the city.
However, Lowndes County may want to remember that much of the county is
downstream of that plant, not to mention parts of Florida.

The story continues.

-jsq