Unsafe levels of bacteria in Chattahoochee River from Phenix City plant, watchdog says

Caption

Ashley Desensi, Technical Programs Specialist for the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper taking samples of E.Coli bacteria at the wastewater treatment plant outfall in Chattahoochee River on June 4, 2024.

Credit: Chattahoochee Riverkeeper

The Phenix City wastewater treatment plant is discharging significantly more E. coli bacteria into the Chattahoochee River than the facility is permitted to, a river watchdog group has alleged.

Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, the river watchdog group, has been collecting samples near the water outfall spot near Rigdon Park and South Columbus neighborhoods more periodically since last fall. On Wednesday, the group said it found “spikes in E. coli bacteria” from “undertreated sewage flowing.”

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that water used for recreation have no more than 126/100 CFU ML of E. coli, on average over multiple samples and days. This measurement asseses the number of clusters of bacteria growing together.

The Alabama Department of Environment’s daily maximum is 298/100, according to Jess Sterling, the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s technical programs director. Sterling said the Phenix City water treatment plant was discharging 17,000 MPN, which is another measure of water contamination that is comparable to CFU.

Officials from Phenix City didn’t reply to requests for comment prior to publication.

The Riverkeepers are urging people to exercise caution anywhere downstream of this plant.

“The risk of harmful bacteria exposure is high,” the group said. “Avoid fully submerging underwater, wash your hands after contacting the water — particularly with children, elderly, and immunocompromised.”

If you are upstream of the water outfall, you do not have to worry. Fishing is still OK, but wash hands and use hand sanitizer, the group advised.

But, “exercise caution from water turbulence after a heavy storm,” Sterling added.

Why is this happening?

The river watchdog group says this is not the first time the wastewater treatment plant has seen issues with water contamination.

The ADEM previously gave notice to the Phenix City utilities department that it was violating a pollution discharge permit on Dec. 19, according to a copy of the permit provided to the Ledger-Enquirer by Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. That’s why the watchdog group has done periodic testing in the area.

“The plant has had other exceedances for other parameters,” Sterling said. “It indicates that their plant is not functioning very well. We’re disappointed to see how not great it is.”

After a violation is given, representatives from a plant typically negotiate and reach an agreement to fix equipment causing the contamination. Chattahoochee Riverkeeper says it’s not aware of ADEM having negotiatons with the Phenix City wastewater plant.

“We have not seen any evidence of any negotiations of ADEM’s filing system,” Sterling said.

The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper is working with Phenix City officials to try to fix the plant. Their representatives have spoken with Chan Gamble, the Phenix City attorney and acting water treatment plant manager, and John Spraggins, utilities director of Phenix City.

Spraggins didn’t respond to request for comment prior to publication. 

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Ledger-Enquirer.