SSO Rakestraw Creek

On 09/18/2024, Paulding County staff received a complaint of a sewer overflow from a business located at 118 Greenfield Rd., Hiram, GA 30141. Staff arrived on site at 9:00 a.m. and discovered sewage flowing out of the ground at the business and into Rakestraw Creek. Crews were dispatched and began digging on the leak and discovered that the force main was broken from bell to bell and an entire 20-ft section of pipe would need to be replaced. At Rakestraw Lift Station, located at 578 Poplar Springs Road, Hiram, GA 30141, pumps were turned off at 9:15 a.m. to allow the flow to be stopped so crews could remove and replace the broken section of pipe. The flow at the main break location stopped at 9:20 a.m. At approximately 10:15 a.m., sewage began to overflow from the manhole in front of the lift station, and pump trucks were used to capture as much of the flow as possible and transport it to the Coppermine WRF a total of 207,000 gallons was transported to Coppermine WRF. A total of 197,100 gallons spilled into Rakestraw Creek. No fish kill was observed. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was notified on 09/18/2024 at 10:45 a.m. Signs were posted on 09/18/2024 at both of the spill locations, and lime was applied to the affected areas.