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    Complaint

    48295
    WPC
    6/4/2018
    Other Agency
    Sewage Bypass / Overflow
    6/4/2018
    20-NOV-2023 03:17PM

    Location based on SITE_ID

    Site ID
    5007
    Site
    Memphis - Maynard C. Stiles STP
    Location
    373 Stiles Drive
    City
    Memphis
    Description
    Treatment of municipal sewage
    County
    Shelby
    EFO Name
    Memphis
    Site Owner
    City of Memphis

    Investigation Results

    No Problem Found
    6/5/2018
    City of Memphis
    6/5/2018
    Yes

    Complaint Description and Writeup

    6-4-18: Joellyn Brazile with DWR received a forwarded anonymous complaint that had been submitted to EPA. Humberto Guzman with EPA forwarded the following info: Tip or Complaint: Maynard Stiles Waste Treatment Plant in Memphis TN. is dumping waste into the Mississippi River. Back in March they freely admitted this on the news and said it was due to flooding. However, the dumping continues to this day. If you take samples of the air, soil, and drinking water you will find toxic waste in the area. The waste may also be leaking into the ground from old storage units. It fills the air daily. Dead fish are washing ashore and you can’t breathe outside. The drinking water is also contaminated, you can see it, and you can smell it in clothes. I’m afraid there is going to be large scale health problem arising from this.

    6-4-18: Joellyn assigned the complaint to EKB.

    6-5-2018: Eddy Bouzeid and Lindsey Bidder investigated the complaint. A general reconnaissance of the Stiles Plant, the Dewitt Spain Airport and the Mississippi River did not reveal any evidence of illicit or unpermitted discharges. No dead fish were observed, and the situations at the Stiles Plant and the Dewitt Airport were normal. Eddy and Lindsey also met with the Stiles Plant Manager, Mr. Alvin Childers who informed the state representatives that the plant was experiencing odor problems two weeks back due to wasting of sludge in cell 3, while cells 1 and 2 were full. The plant had to utilize lime to suppress the odor. Also City contractors were conducting repair work to the Vortex structure and the effluent was being rerouted to the original outfall. According to Mr. Childers, the repair work should be completed by mid June and the effluent rerouted back through the Vortex structure. At the time of the visit, foam was observed in the River from the outfall. However, the foam was dissipating few hundred feet downstream.

    6-6-18: Joellyn informed EPA of our investigation findings.