Sanitary Sewer Overflow Reported in Sugar Creek

On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at approximately 1:30 PM, members of the City of Valdosta Utilities Department’s Environmental Services Watershed Team discovered a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) occurring along Sugar Creek during routine monitoring activities.

Personnel observed that an 8-inch sanitary sewer line had been damaged and was actively discharging into the creek. Utilities Director Jason Barnes was immediately notified, and a contracted response crew was dispatched to investigate.  Crews were able to install a patch on the damaged line by approximately 2:30 PM. Current estimates indicate that between 1,000 and 1,500 gallons of wastewater entered Sugar Creek.

As a precaution, the City advises the public to avoid contact with Sugar Creek from Baytree Road downstream to the creek’s confluence with the Withlacoochee River for the time being

All required regulatory and public health agencies have been notified, and all other actions in accordance with state environmental protocols.

“The City of Valdosta remains committed to preventing sewer overflows and protecting our waterways,” said Utilities Director Jason Barnes. “We continue to modernize our infrastructure and strengthen our monitoring programs to reduce the likelihood of future incidents.”

For additional information on the City’s wastewater system improvements or to learn more about ongoing environmental protection initiatives, please contact the City of Valdosta Utilities Department – Environmental Services Division at (229) 259-3592.