127,000 gallons of wastewater spilled in Valdosta.
JASPER – One holiday activity to possibly avoid this weekend is frolicking in the Withlacoochee River, according to the Hamilton County Health Department.
The department issued a precautionary health update Saturday of a potential contamination of the river following a sewage overflow reported in Valdosta, Ga. The spill dumped an estimated 127,750 gallons of wastewater into Sugar Creek in Georgia.
The health department, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Suwannee River Water Management District are coordinating to closely monitor the situation and will respond accordingly.
“We will provide updates to the public as these assessments continue throughout the weekend,” the DOH said in a release.
Water contaminated with elevated fecal bacteria presents several health risks to humans. Microbes normally found with fecal bacteria could cause gastrointestinal issues and other conditions.
Until further information is known, residents and visitors in the area should take precautions in the area of Withlacoochee River, which flows through Hamilton and Madison counties and into Suwannee County, according to the health department.
Anyone who comes into contact with the river water should wash thoroughly, especially before eating or drinking, DOH advises. Children and older adults, as well as immunocompromised individuals, are particularly vulnerable to disease.