Dangerously high levels of E. coli bacteria have been detected in the Chattahoochee River in metro Atlanta and immediately downstream of the Marietta Boulevard/Atlanta Road bridge. Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK) detected high levels of bacteria during routine river monitoring and tracked the source to the City of Atlanta’s R.M. Clayton Water Reclamation Center (WRC).
R.M. Clayton WRC is responsible for treating a large volume of the City of Atlanta’s sewage before it is discharged to the Chattahoochee River. The facility has a National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) permit to discharge 100 million gallons per day of treated wastewater to the Chattahoochee River, but the plant is currently in violation of this permit.
Water quality is generally very good in metro Atlanta and the Chattahoochee River. However, this is the second failure at a major wastewater treatment plant in metro Atlanta in less than a year. In the summer of 2023, a failure at the Big Creek Water Reclamation Facility in Fulton County sent more than 20 million gallons of undertreated sewage into the river upstream of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, resulting in a three-week closure of the river park to protect public health.
Keep reading for more information.
Does the undertreated wastewater discharge pose a risk to public health?
Yes. Water quality testing conducted daily by CRK from the R.M. Clayton WRC outfall at the Chattahoochee River between March 4 and March 13 showed E. coli bacteria levels an average of 340 times higher (ranging from 40 to 500 times higher) than the amount recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for safe water recreation.
High bacteria levels pose serious risks to public health, especially for vulnerable populations such as young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.
CRK recommends that river users avoid recreation on the river immediately downstream of the Marietta Boulevard/Atlanta Road bridge until bacteria levels return to a safe range for recreation.
It remains safe to recreate upstream of Atlanta Road and in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. CRK publishes water quality data from throughout the Chattahoochee River watershed online here.
How many miles downstream of the wastewater outfall are impacted?
The greatest impact is immediately downstream of the R.M. Clayton WRC outfall at the Chattahoochee River, at the Marietta Boulevard/Atlanta Road bridge. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases water from Buford Dam upstream, which is helping to dilute E. coli contamination further downstream.
CRK recommends recreators exercise caution when coming into contact with the river between the Marietta Boulevard/Atlanta Road bridge in Atlanta and the headwaters of West Point Lake.
If you do come into contact with the water, river recreators should practice common sense hygiene practices like washing hands and disinfecting items that come into contact with the water.
Is drinking water affected by the undertreated wastewater discharge?
Drinking water in Fulton County and the metro Atlanta region is not affected by the plant failure. All source water is treated to meet drinking water standards.
What is the impact of the discharge on wildlife?
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper is monitoring the impact of the discharge on wildlife at the R.M. Clayton WRC outfall and downstream. As of March 14, there have been no indications of a fish kill as a result of the discharge.
This page will be updated as more information becomes available.
The post Water quality unsafe downstream of Atlanta wastewater treatment plant appeared first on Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.
R.M. Clayton WRC is responsible for treating a large volume of the City of Atlanta’s sewage before it is discharged to the Chattahoochee River. The facility has a National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) permit to discharge 100 million gallons per day of treated wastewater to the Chattahoochee River, but the plant is currently in violation of this permit.
Water quality is generally very good in metro Atlanta and the Chattahoochee River. However, this is the second failure at a major wastewater treatment plant in metro Atlanta in less than a year. In the summer of 2023, a failure at the Big Creek Water Reclamation Facility in Fulton County sent more than 20 million gallons of undertreated sewage into the river upstream of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, resulting in a three-week closure of the river park to protect public health.
Keep reading for more information.
Does the undertreated wastewater discharge pose a risk to public health?
Yes. Water quality testing conducted daily by CRK from the R.M. Clayton WRC outfall at the Chattahoochee River between March 4 and March 13 showed E. coli bacteria levels an average of 340 times higher (ranging from 40 to 500 times higher) than the amount recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for safe water recreation.
High bacteria levels pose serious risks to public health, especially for vulnerable populations such as young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.
CRK recommends that river users avoid recreation on the river immediately downstream of the Marietta Boulevard/Atlanta Road bridge until bacteria levels return to a safe range for recreation.
It remains safe to recreate upstream of Atlanta Road and in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. CRK publishes water quality data from throughout the Chattahoochee River watershed online here.
How many miles downstream of the wastewater outfall are impacted?
The greatest impact is immediately downstream of the R.M. Clayton WRC outfall at the Chattahoochee River, at the Marietta Boulevard/Atlanta Road bridge. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases water from Buford Dam upstream, which is helping to dilute E. coli contamination further downstream.
CRK recommends recreators exercise caution when coming into contact with the river between the Marietta Boulevard/Atlanta Road bridge in Atlanta and the headwaters of West Point Lake.
If you do come into contact with the water, river recreators should practice common sense hygiene practices like washing hands and disinfecting items that come into contact with the water.
Is drinking water affected by the undertreated wastewater discharge?
Drinking water in Fulton County and the metro Atlanta region is not affected by the plant failure. All source water is treated to meet drinking water standards.
What is the impact of the discharge on wildlife?
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper is monitoring the impact of the discharge on wildlife at the R.M. Clayton WRC outfall and downstream. As of March 14, there have been no indications of a fish kill as a result of the discharge.
This page will be updated as more information becomes available.
The post Water quality unsafe downstream of Atlanta wastewater treatment plant appeared first on Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.