SSO Rakestraw Creek Statement

On 6/13/2024, Paulding County staff received a complaint of a sewer smell from a business located at 165 Commodore Path, Hiram, GA 30141. Staff arrived on site at 7:44 a.m. and discovered sewage flowing out of the ground behind 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. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the force main had broken in the overnight hours of 6/12/2024. At Rakestraw Lift Station, located at 578 Poplar Springs Road, Hiram, GA 30141, pimps were turned off and pump trucks were called in at 8:30 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 9:00 a.m. At approximately 11:00 a.m., sewage began to overflow from the manhole in front of the lift station, despite pump trucks being used to capture as much of the flow as possible and transport it to the Coppermine WRF. A total of 240,000 gallons were transported to Coppermine Wastewater Treatment facility via Pump truck. A total of 1,230,000 gallons is estimated to have spilled into Rakestraw Creek. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was notified on 6/13/2024 at 10:45 a.m., and were updated at 11:20 a.m. of the volume of the spill at the lift station site. At approximately 10:30 a.m. on 6/13/2024, the lab personnel pulling samples for the downstream spill location observed several dead fish. DNR was notified of a fish kill at 10:45 a.m., and the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) was notified at 11:20 a.m. Signs were posted on 6/13/2024 at both of the spill locations, and lime was applied to the affected areas.