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Resident urges attention to Suwannee River contamination tied to Valdosta sewage overflows
Summary
A resident described historical sewage overflows from Valdosta and said a regional task force formed to document upstream sources of nitrates flowing into the Suwannee River.
A resident urged attention to recurring sewage overflows from Valdosta that the speaker said have carried high-nitrate wastewater into the Suwannee River, harming communities downstream.
The speaker said periodic heavy rains have caused Valdosta’s sewage plant to overflow into the river since about 2016 and that the discharges carry "millions of gallons with the heavy amount of nitrates" downstream, where farmers in Suwannee and neighboring counties are sometimes blamed for nitrate contamination. The speaker said the regional task force was created to document other sources of nitrates and to protect communities in Suwannee, Levy and Gilchrist counties.
Council members and others asked about the task force’s meeting schedule. The speaker said the task force holds several meetings during the year and sometimes meets with council or district offices; no formal action or city sponsorship of the task force was recorded at the meeting.
The remarks were delivered during the public comment portion of the meeting; no council motion or vote on the task force was recorded.
