Watershed alliance accuses county of violations

Weeks prior to a top DeKalb official resigning from the county’s watershed management department, the South River Watershed Alliance (SRWA) requested in writing that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigate violations of the DeKalb County Consent Decree.

 The decree, which the county entered into in 2011 with the EPA and Georgia Environmental Protection Division, states DeKalb must implement certain sanitary sewer system programs and improvements.

 In an interview with The Champion, Jacqueline Echols, president of the SWRA, said DeKalb County “is in trouble,” if the county does not address the issues listed in the investigation request.

 “Sewer spills affect the environment. There is a lot at stake here,” Echols said. “Sometimes I think sewer spills are so common in the county that people have become jaded to it. When you get to that point, we’re in trouble unless there’s some push for change. That’s what the South River Watershed Alliance is doing.”

 The investigation request from SRWA accuses DeKalb County officials of five violations of the consent decree including failure to develop a system-wide hydraulic model, not having an approved capacity assurance program and capacity certifications not signed by a certified engineer.

 The request also alleges the county’s sewer assessment and rehabilitation program will not be complete by June 2020, which is required by the consent decree.

 The Champion contacted county officials March 6 regarding SWRA’s allegations, asking if the county’s current Dynamic Peak Hydraulic Model,which helps to determine sewer capacity,meets consent decree standards, if the hydraulic model is certified and for an update on the progress of the sewer assessment and rehabilitation program, but did not receive a reply by press time.

 Echols said the EPA needs to enforce the requirements of the consent decree.

“The lack of enforcement by the EPA and [Georgia Environmental Protection Division] has created a vacuum that is being sealed by political policy and interest and that’s problematic,” Echols said.

 In December of 2017, county officials held a meeting to update residents on the county’s progress in meeting deadlines of the consent decree. During the meeting, CEO Michael Thurmond said the county wants to “go above and beyond the consent decree requirements to protect public health and the county’s natural resources.”

 According to SWRA’s inquiry, the county’s current Dynamic Peak Hydraulic Model does not meet the consent decree standards. The letter also cites a memo from Margaret Tanner, deputy director for DeKalb’s department of watershed management to Scott Towler, director of the watershed management department with the subject; “Static Maximum Monthly Average Day Modeling Approach.” SWRA says the memo supports the model’s “inadequacy.”

 Towler issued his resignation March 7. His last day will be March 16.

 “I want to ensure that the regulators know, and DeKalb County knows, that this is a really serious issue that has to be resolved,” Echols said. “It’s coming up on nine years and that’s a really long time. There is not a plan in place. I keep repeating this. I recognize it will take time to fix the problem, but there has to be a plan to move forward and without a plan we’re not going anywhere with the consent decree.”

 If a response is received by the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management, this story will be updated accordingly.