{"id":61,"date":"2013-03-03T14:07:39","date_gmt":"2013-03-03T19:07:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/03\/vdt-v-valdosta-re-wastewater.html"},"modified":"2013-03-03T14:07:39","modified_gmt":"2013-03-03T19:07:39","slug":"vdt-v-valdosta-re-wastewater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/03\/vdt-v-valdosta-re-wastewater.html","title":{"rendered":"VDT v Valdosta Re Wastewater"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nThe VDT has apparently decided the City of Valdosta is to blame\nfor the \nWithlacoochee Wastewater Woes,<\/a>\nand has made its case in a story and two editorials.\nThey seem to have forgotten about\n\nthe overflow in 2012<\/a> already.\nAnd the VDT seems to have forgotten about it and its editor's own\napparent roles in the loss of the recent SPLOST election that\nwould have funded a new wastewater plant.\n<\/p>\n

\nJason Schaefer wrote for the VDT today,\n\nMoney saved at river's expense:\nEPD investigates cause of sewage release as waters recede<\/a>,\n<\/p>\n

\n

\nWhen the flooding occurred in April 2009, the City made\n\n<\/a>\nextraordinary efforts to hold back the flooding, bringing in dirt\nand heavy machinery to build a berm around the influent pump station\nand other treatment equipment, working round the clock.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe efforts were successful. The treatment plant remained on during\nthe duration of the flood, and Valdosta's raw sewage remained\ncontained, though the facility incurred damages to its electrical\nand biological purification systems, according to Utilities Director\nHenry Hicks.\n<\/p>\n

\nThis year, the City opted for a different approach\u2014cut\nelectricity to the underwater portions of the plant, submit to the\nflooding and clean up afterwards.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe plant was \u201ctaken offline\u201d Thursday at 9 a.m.\n\u201cto prevent further damage to equipment and associated\nelectrical and control systems,\u201d according to a statement\nissued by the Department of the City Manager.\n<\/p>\n

\nThe City stated that as a result of the shutdown, \u201cuntreated\nsewage will be discharging directly into the river\u201d at a rate\nof between five and six million gallons of raw sewage per day.\n<\/p>\n

\nIn addition, the floodwaters were allowed into the plant and around\nthe remaining portions of the berm that was constructed in 2009\nduring the rising flood. Only half of the berm now remains, as the\nother half was removed to allow access to the lower portions of the\nplant, Hicks said.\n<\/p>\n

\nSo far, this year's response strategy seems to have saved the City\nmoney. In 2009, about $500,000 was spent in manpower, equipment and\nsupplies to build the berm alone, and the plant, kept running,\nincurred significant damages though raw sewage was kept out of the\nriver. This year, the money was not spent on the berm or to prevent\nthe flooding, and at least 15 to 20 million gallons of raw sewage\nwill have been released into the Withlacoochee by the time the plant\nis back online.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\nThere's more in the story, which is well worth a read.\nAlso note this inserted in the middle of the story:\n<\/p>\n

\n

\nEditor Kay Harris contributed to this story.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\nThe VDT cites the EPA report,\n\nNational Enforcement Initiative (FY 2011 – 2013)\nKeeping Raw Sewage and Contaminated Stormwater Out of Our Nation\u2019s Waters<\/a>,\n(more about that EPA initiative\n\nhere<\/a>)\nand continues:\n<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

\n\n<\/a>\nSince the 2009 flood event, the city has applied three times to the\nFederal Emergency Management Agency for funding to make major\nimprovements to the sewer system, move and rebuild the plant at a\ncost of more than $90 million. FEMA denied the city's requests each\ntime.\n<\/p>\n

\nAt this time, the sewage discharge is also a potential risk to the\ncity's drinking water supply. According to information provided by\n\n<\/a>\nthe United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Upper Floridan\naquifer is the sole source of water supply for Valdosta and much of\nthe surrounding area. The aquifer \u201creceives large volumes of\ndirect discharge from the Withlacoochee River through sinkholes in\nthe streambed or off-channel.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nThe USPS states,\u201dThe strong connection between the\nWithlacoochee River and ground water in the Valdosta area has\ncreated concerns about the potential for contamination of\ngroundwater supplies by contaminants in the river.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\nVDT editorial 28 February 2013,\n\nPlanning for \u2018a little rain\u2019<\/a>\nseems to refer to\n\nthe VDT's effects of rain<\/a>\nstory of 25 February, and the editorial concludes:\n<\/p>\n

\n

\nA better plan may not have resolved the issues faced by the city and\nwithin the city this week, but better planning may have had\nofficials and residents better prepared for an occasion when more\nthan a little rain fell.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\nVDT editorial 2 March 2013,\n\nWhat\u2019s worth more?<\/a>\nconcludes:\n<\/p>\n

\n

\nWhen questioned about the reasoning for not protecting the plant\nfrom flooding this time, the only answers have been about money.\nPerhaps if more of the plant is damaged now, FEMA will approve the\nfunding to move and rebuild it. In the long run, the cost benefits\nof letting it flood and being able to replace it were weighed\nagainst environmental harm, and the river lost.\n<\/p>\n

\nIn four short years, dumping raw sewage went from a potential\ncatastrophe to a barely noticed non-issue. In the long run, the\ncommunity will have to decide if it was worth it.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n\n<\/a>\nIt's curious the VDT and its editor Kay Harris appear to put all\nthe blame for the wastewater woes on the City of Valdosta,\nwhen the VDT and Ms. Harris were certainly involved in\n\nthe failed SPLOST VII election<\/a>\nthat would have funded upgrades or replacement of the Withlacoochee Wasterwater\nTreatment Plant.\nIt's true I haven't heard many city or county elected officials\nacknowledge that\n\nHouston County's strategy of publishing real lists and involving\nthe public in real hearings before the vote<\/a>\nmay have contributed to Houston County's SPLOST winning handily in March 2012.\n<\/p>\n

\n\n<\/a>\nI've certainly seen no acknowledgement by the VDT or Ms. Harris that\n\nthe shoddy treatment of citizen observers at the Library Board she chairs<\/a>\nis not helping any future SPLOST win, especially given that\n\nthe proposed new library and its funding and architect selection process<\/a>\nmay well have contributed to the local SPLOST losing,\nespecially when combined with\n\ncontinued tension over transparency.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\nHow about a bit more planning by the VDT and Ms. Harris for public participation\nin planning for taxes to support local infrastructure?\n

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