City of Savannah crews responded to a minor sewage spill from an overflowing manhole at the unopened Avalon Drive ROW east of Truman Parkway on Monday.
The spill was the result of sewage stoppage in an 8-inch gravity sewer main caused by grease and rags. The total volume discharged was 950 gallons located in a residential area. The amount of this spill is classified as a minor spill under State Environmental Protection Division guidelines.
City Water and Sewer crews were notified of the spill at 2:07 p.m., and the spill was corrected 1 hour and 35 minutes later at 3:42 p.m. The blockage was cleared and the sewer system was cleaned and is being evaluated as to the cause of the stoppage and how to keep this from occurring again.
The staff will also install a high level wireless alarm to notify of future surcharges to further eliminate or minimize subsequent overflows. The affected storm system was contained, and staff implemented efforts to recover the contaminated water.
Notifications were posted at the storm system discharge to Kayton Canal (behind Hillcrest Cemetery) and at Kayton Canal / President Street.
All agencies required by the State EPD were notified.