Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination
One of the main responsibilities of the Stormwater Division is to identify and eliminate the sources of pollution that lead to the degradation of water quality. To accomplish this, we perform tasks including an annual creek walk, field screening analysis, and use a closed circuit television system (CCTV).
Citizen Reporting
Stormwater staff can’t be everywhere all the time. Citizens are encouraged to call the Citizen’s Service Center at 311 or (706) 653-4000 to report any dumping, pollution, or spills. The Citizen Service Center then relays the report to the appropriate department. Once we receive the report, a stormwater inspector will investigate the complaint.
Creek Walk
Every fall, Stormwater staff walks miles of Muscogee County creeks, streams, and lakes looking for illicit connections to the Municipal Storm Sewer System (MS4), illegal dumping, sanitary spills, and flow obstructions.
Field Screening Analysis
Stormwater Division staff routinely checks the discharge points of the stormwater system to the creeks for several common pollutants. If pollutants are found, attempts are made to identify and eliminate the source.
CCTV
Often it is unsafe or impossible for staff to visually inspect in stormwater pipes to determine the origin of a pollutant. In this case, a CCTV system is used for inspection. This allows us to locate pollutant sources that would otherwise be impossible for us to detect.