MABLETON, Ga. — It's getting closer to summertime, and while some may be eager to shoot the hooch or go kayaking along the Chattahoochee River, officials are warning people to stay away from a 70-mile stretch of the river considered to have high E. Coli levels.
Jess Sterling, the Technical Programs Director for Chattahoochee River Keeper, said her team first discovered extremely high levels of E. Coli in the river between late February and early March.
“The standard for recreation is 126 colony-forming units of E. Coli bacteria… in February and late March, we were pulling out 126,000, so many times higher than that standard," explained Sterling.
She said the levels did go down after their team reported their findings to Georgia's Environmental Protection Division, but last week - they spiked once again.
“The more bacteria, the more likely it is that people will get sick," said Sterling.
Sterling said people and pets could start vomiting, show a skin infection, or even get seizures if they get too much exposure to high levels of E. Coli.
The area where officials have found the highest levels of bacteria stretches from the Atlanta RM Clayton Water Reclamation Plant to the River View Landing.
“We tracked the high bacteria levels to the RM Clayton Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is the City of Atlanta's largest wastewater treatment plant," said Sterling.
State regulators conducted a site visit after the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper expressed concerns over the plant. A Georgia Protection Division report on March 7 showed that the plant was cited for a number of violations, including several broken pieces of equipment.
“We think we’re seeing the effects of the improperly functioning equipment, that we’re seeing these blips of bacteria,” said Sterling.
Officials with the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper say as they continue to test, they’re asking people to be cautious and check their website for daily updates on bacteria levels.
Mikita K. Browning, the Commissioner for the City of Atlanta's Department of Watershed Management, released the following statement Monday afternoon in response to questions about what the plant is doing to remedy the situation:
As of yesterday, April 14, 2024, E. Coli levels were at 8 MPN/100ml, which is considered safe. However, these levels can fluctuate during intense rain events. In case of elevated E. Coli levels, we take proactive measures to minimize their impact and work closely with the EPD to address them. We conduct ongoing monitoring and sampling, and in the event of elevated E. coli levels, we take proactive measures to mitigate their impact.