For Immediate Release
February 2, 2023
Contact:
Office of Communications and Public Affairs
(678) 920-0857
Waterway Impacted by Sanitary Sewage Spill
ATLANTA – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), as a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) agency, is required by law to notify the media when a sanitary sewage discharge results in a water quality violation.
On Jan. 30, 2023 such a spill occurred.
The incident took place at a sanitary sewer manhole on a temporary aboveground bypass line that is located east of the Riverdale Road and West Fayetteville Road intersection on Riverdale Road prior to exit 139 on I-285. The temporary bypass line is associated with a project to improve a sanitary lift station.
The cause of the spill is under investigation but appears to be related to an unintended shift of the temporary aboveground discharge pipe causing a release into Sullivan Creek.
Initial field monitoring data indicates no significant impact to the area. It is estimated that approximately 22,000 gallons of sanitary sewage discharged into Sullivan Creek.
Notification of the spill has been provided to the State and to agencies downstream of the spill, ATL is working with state and local partners to mitigate the impact of the spill. Currently, the following corrective actions are underway:
1. Water samples are being conducted at the point of release to Sullivan Creek, and in upstream and downstream locations.
2. Officials are reviewing the incident, including conducting a root cause analysis and developing after-action items.
Additional information will be provided when available.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
ATL is the first airport in history to serve more than 100 million passengers in one year and continues to top passenger totals worldwide. In response to the pandemic, Hartsfield-Jackson pivoted to focus on implementing heightened safety protocols while maintaining efficiency and financial stability. The Airport boasts a direct economic impact of $66 billion in the state. A frequent recipient of awards of excellence, ATL is recognized for its leadership in concessions, operations, sustainability, architectural engineering, and construction. For more information, visit www.atl.com.