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Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Warns of ‘Impending Disaster’ Downstream of Atlanta Wastewater Treatment Plant – WSB-TV Channel 2

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ATLANTA — The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper warns that due to “continued failures at Atlanta’s RM Clayton Wastewater Treatment Plant,” river conditions are approaching disaster.

“We are now seeing clear warning signs of an impending ecological disaster on the Chattahoochee River downstream of the plant,” the organization said. “Nutrient pollution from the plant is contributing to significantly reduced oxygen levels in the river, which fish need to breathe.”

The disaster warning follows news just over a week ago that the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper was threatening to sue the city of Atlanta over what it said were violations of the Clean Water Act.

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As previously stated by Channel 2 Action NewsThe Riverkeeper previously said the RM Clayton Wastewater Treatment Plant was illegally discharging pollution into the Chattahoochee River.

In partnership with the Southern Environmental Law Center, they threatened to file a federal lawsuit against Atlanta to correct the violations, giving them 60 days to make changes or take them to court.

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The two organizations said in their initial lawsuit threat that the RM Clayton plant is Atlanta’s largest water treatment plant and receives millions of gallons of Atlanta’s wastewater every day.

Although only 100 million gallons of treated wastewater are allowed to be discharged into the river per day, the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper said it detected “dangerously high levels of E. coli bacteria” in the river and traced them to the plant in March.

“CRK’s daily testing at the discharge point revealed that E. coli levels were on average 340 times higher than the amount recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for safe water recreation,” they said in a previous statement.

CRK said they are still monitoring water quality in the area and while they are seeing less frequent spikes in bacteria levels, they are still urging caution about potential bacterial illnesses.

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