Heavy Rain Causes Sanitary Sewer Spill in Toccoa

2015 is off to a wet start in Stephens County.

Weekend rains starting Friday and continuing through Sunday dumped more than 3.3 inches of rain on downtown Toccoa.

According to city officials, that heavy rain was to blame for a sanitary sewer spill near the Ward Creek Liftstation.

City officials said that city personnel located an overflow condition at about 9 a.m. on Sunday from a manhole located just outside the fenced area of the liftstation.

Officials said that city personnel used the vacuum truck to transport wastewater to the Eastanollee Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in an effort to minimize the overflow.

The overflow lasted until about 11:50 a.m. and totaled about 6,500 gallons.

City officials said that the heavy rains caused to the two pumps at the Ward Creek Liftstation to be unable to keep up with the incoming flow, even though both pumps were running at full speed.

The overflow entered Ward Creek, which is a tributary to the Tugalo River and Lake Hartwell.

City officials said that there are no known water intake points within twenty miles of the spill.

The city said all appropriate notices have been posted and the required testing regiment will be started as soon as possible.