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Home
DWR Complaints
Complaint Details
Complaint
Complaint Number
30715
DWR Program Area
WPC
Date Received
11/12/2013
How Received
Phone
Concerning
Sewage Bypass / Overflow
Concerning (Other)
Assigned on
11/12/2013
Record Last Updated
20-NOV-2023 12:22PM
Location based on SITE_ID
Site ID
5213
Site
City of Sneedville STP
Location
306 Harrison Street
City
Sneedville
Description
Treatment of municipal sewage
County
Hancock
EFO Name
Johnson City
Site Owner
Sneedville
Investigation Results
Status
Issue Resolved
Date Investigated
11/14/2013
Responsible Party
City of Sneedville
Completed on
11/15/2013
Referred To
Referred on
Photos
Complaint Description and Writeup
Complaint Description and Writeup
On 11/12/2013, LTI received anonymous complaint alleging wastewater from the Sneedville STP was bubbling up in a nearby field visible from Highway 33 and that the STP was not being operated. BBC and JKH traveled to the site on 11/14/2013 to investigate the complaint and met with the STP operator, Mr. Kenneth Rhea, who was onsite at the plant at the time of arrival.
Investigation of the STP outfall line revealed that effluent was emerging above ground in a field near the STP. According to property records and the STP operator, the field is owned by Mr. T.J. Harrison. The effluent was flowing across the field for several hundred feet before entering Greasy Rock Creek and flowing to the Clinch River. The effluent had been flowing in the field for some time as evidenced by the excised channel and condition of the channel bottom. Sneedville personnel contacted the Town of Pennington Gap, VA, for assistance in clearing the line.
Brief observations of the STP revealed a number of items of concern. The operator indicated that he was having problems with the Aero-Mod clarifier backwash system at the time of the investigation. Substantial buildup of solids was visible in the Aero-Mod units. Also, several feet of wastewater was present in the STP surge basin, but was poorly aerated. Further, the plant digesters were full of water, were not being aerated, and showed signs of algal or other growth on the water surface. Some sections of catwalk grating were missing at the plant, and multiple support posts for the catwalk handrails were corroded through. Sludge drying beds had vegetation growing on top.
The STP operator left a voice mail message for BBC at 17:03 on 11/15/2013 indicating that the effluent line blockage had been cleared. A written report on the investigation will be sent to the City of Sneedville requesting further detail on the effluent line repair and status of STP repairs. Follow up investigation will be performed as warranted.