1 7M gallons of sewage spilled into Lake Guntersville since 2017;

Environmental group Tennessee Riverkeeper has filed a notice that they intend to sue the Guntersville Water Board over untreated sewage spills into Lake Guntersville dating back to 2017. Records filed by the water board show 1.7 million gallons of sewage overflows since 2017, with more than 680,000 gallons spilled in March 2021 alone. David Whiteside, Tennessee Riverkeeper founder and executive director, said the purpose of the lawsuit is to ensure that the overflows into Lake Guntersville – a popular bass fishing and recreational hotspot on the Tennessee River – are stopped as quickly as possible.“This water belongs to the public and anything we can do to bring attention to this problem, to shine a spotlight on pollution and to speed up the process of getting it cleaned up, that’s the role of Riverkeeper,” he said. Guntersville Water Board General Manager Robert Chandler issued a prepared statement saying there are no current sewer overflows into Lake Guntersville and no imminent threat to the water. The last reported overflow occurred on March 31. Chandler said the Water Board is working to address the problems that led to the overflows.“The Guntersville Water Board and its attorneys and engineers are proactively negotiating a plan to address issues raised by Tennessee Riverkeeper,” Chandler said. “We look forward to continuing to work in cooperation and coordination with [Tennessee Riverkeeper].”Chandler said the overflows that did occur were “not the result of any negligent, willful or wanton conduct by any member of the Guntersville Water Board or its staff.”Whiteside said the city of Guntersville and its water board have been responsive and cooperative since the notice was filed.“They know how important clean water is to their economy and to the boating and the fishing, and the recreation that makes Guntersville one of the greatest places in Alabama, one of the greatest lakes in Alabama,” Whiteside said. “And so it’s been a very positive dialogue, much more so than almost any other town that we’ve dealt with when it comes to sewage pollution in the state.”Under the Clean Water Act, private citizens or groups like the Riverkeepers can sue entities that discharge pollutants into rivers without a permit, or that don’t meet the requirements of their permit. They are required to provide 60 days written notice before filing the lawsuit; Riverkeepers filed on May 5. According to the Riverkeeper’s notice of intent to sue, the overflows have allowed untreated sewage to escape from the Eastlake Wastewater Treatment Plant and its collection infrastructure, including manholes, cleanouts and lift stations. These kinds of spills often occur during heavy rain events, when sewer pipes can become flooded and leak. According to the complaint, the sewage was discharged into the Tennessee River at Lake Guntersville, Big Spring Creek, Browns Creek, or were ground absorbed.“This happens due to faulty and crumbling sewage infrastructure,” Whiteside said. All data is taken from the source: http://al.com Article Link: https://www.al.com/news/2021/06/17m-g... #water #newshour #newstodayoncnn #kingworldnews #newstodayworld #newstodayheadlines #