There was an area of scum on the water that almost turned my
stomach when I saw it.
There will be photos accompanying this letter via e-mail and
more will follow immediately thereafter.
Please note that I did not mention paper in the above paragraphs, not that
it wasn’t there because it was.
Some background information about complaints filed by the ARK regarding the
Academy Creek WPCP is; I filed one complaint in 2004 regarding some of these
same issue’s.
On 7-07- 05 the ARK filed another complaint regarding similar
conditions as I saw on 10-23-05 with the exception of; there were
lots more condoms this
time.
On my 10-23-05 visit there were two tampon containers and what appeared to
be dried, congealed grease on the water. This grease was in the stream the
entire
time I was on site on 10-23-05.
Mr. Gary Reynolds wrote a letter to Mr. Keith Morgan dated 7-18-05 as a follow
up to my complaint of 7-07-05. In Mr. Reynolds letter he told Mr. Keith Morgan
to have the area that was eroding away near the pipe repaired. My photos
on 10-23-05 appear to indicate that the eroded area was never repaired. As
a matter
of fact
the eroded area may have worsened causing a substantial chunk of the embankment
to cave over into the waste water stream. Mr. Crosby, these complaints are not just a figment of my imagination.
The conditions at the Academy Creek WPCP we continue to monitor
and report to the
EPD are very
real. Again, the ARK is requesting the EPD to investigate the Academy Creek
WPCP to determine why we continue to see these conditions when we go to this
pipe.
We are also requesting that you take substantial enforcement action(s) to
prevent these conditions to continue in the future.
Just to give you some idea of why I believe these conditions
continue is the attitude of the WPCP employees. While I was at
the site yesterday one
employee
came out of the plant and inquired about what I was doing. At that time
I told him what I was doing and he told me that they were doing
the best job
that
they could and it was impossible to remove all the solids from the waste
water. I
told this gentleman the truth when I said I have visited more than 100
pipes and I had never seen anything like this. Even with all the
problems with
the Dublin WPCP I never documented this many condoms in their waste water
stream.
After I told him that, he said something to the effect that when
the waste water entered the chlorine contact chamber all the bacteria
were killed. I
believe
that many of us should have a problem with that statement. Before I left
the site this gentleman told me I probably planted all the stuff
in the water.
You know and I know that James Holland would never, ever do something like
that.
Besides, anyone that might be inclined to do something like that wouldn’t
have to. The Academy Creek WPCP is already providing plenty of this type evidence
for documentation.
Thank you in advance for giving our request your considerations.
James Holland, Altamaha Riverkeeper |
