Tuesday March 19th, 2024 5:44AM

Gainesville officials say 2,600 gallons of sludge accidentally pumped into Flat Creek

GAINESVILLE - City officials said an estimated 2,600 gallons of sludge was accidentally pumped into Flat Creek Tuesday evening.

The incident happened around 6:30 at the Flat Creek Water Reclamation Facility on Old Flowery Branch Road, according to a news release the Gainesville Water Resources Department.

The incident happened as plant workers were pumping sludge from an anaerobic digester into dewatering blend tanks. According to the city, crews were attempting to remove as much sludge as possible for some maintenance.

"When they (personnel) turned on the recycle clarifier pumps, due to a high level in the recycle clarifier, they failed to check the valve in the digester basement which would normally be directed to the dewatering blend tank. Due to the ongoing maintenance, the valve was closed," the city release states.

Instead of draining to the stormwater pumping station, the sludge went into Flat Creek. Crews turned off the pump as soon as the issue was discovered.
 
"The operators, when they changed shifts, failed to check the pump before they turned it on, and it was just one of those oversights," Gainesville Environmental Services Administrator Horace Gee said.

City officials said environmental compliance workers began monitoring the spill site and posting signs Wednesday morning.
 
Gee said he's had crews walk the creek from the facility to Lake Lanier.
 
"(We) were just making sure we had no fish kills or anything, and there was no obvious signs of any water quality issues.  We did the testing.  All of the water tested fine."
 
City officials also notified Hall County Environmental Health, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Georgia Environmental Protection Division officials.
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