Skip to Main Content

    Complaint

    134732
    WPC
    12/12/2024
    Ask TDEC
    Sewage Bypass / Overflow
    12/12/2024
    23-DEC-2024 11:08AM

    Location

    Cookeville
    Hebbertsburg Road
    Daddy's Creek
    Crab Orchard
    37723
    Daddys Creek watershed

    Investigation Results

    Open
    12/13/2024
    Unknown
    Trip report provided. Work in Progress.
    12/17/2024
    Yes

    Complaint Description and Writeup

    December 4, 2024




    David W. Salyers, P.E.
    Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
    312 Rosa L Parks Avenue
    Nashville, TN 37243


    Re: Daddy’s Creek Pollution, Cumberland Plateau, Cumberland County, TN

    Dear Mr. Salyers:

    Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann, §69-3-118(a), I am writing to inform you of a complaint under the Tennessee Water Quality Control Act about the Fairfield Glade Sewage Ponds State Operating Permit 00039. There is an effluent run-off from the drip field entering surface waters in Fairfield Glade and is creating saturation, which appears to also have saturated the ground water entering Daddy’s Creek, violating Section §303(d) of the Clean Water Act.

    TDEC has documented in an inspection report January 2024 (Attachment 1: Drip Investigation Survey ResultsSOP-00039 - Fairfield Glade) that the Fairfield Glade alternative sewage system has failed, as have many such systems being used across the state of Tennessee (Attachment 2: Report on the Performance of Wastewater Systems Utilizing Drip Dispersal in Tennessee). It is also in my understanding that TDEC has informed Fairfield Glade recently, and in 2020 (Attachment 3: Glade Sun. Crossville Chronicle April 3, 2020 article) to be out of compliance. There is over-saturation and surface effluent running above ground into surface water. In my understanding, nothing has been done to correct the situation and, they are moving forward with plans for further development of the 300 acres of land that was Wildwood Stables, which will contribute further to the issue.

    Health issues: I have had Daddy’s Creek water tested at TN Tech water center on July 9th, 2024 and November 6th, 2024 with off-the-chart-high bacteria numbers (Attachment 4: July 9, 2024 water test and Attachment 5: Nov 6, 2024 water test). I get itchy rashes that last for a week and/or infection symptoms after swimming in Daddy’s Creek (Attachment 6: Rash on Chest and Attachment 7. Rash on wrist). I have neighbors who have had this happen to them and/or their guests that swim in Daddy’s Creek as well. I have high glyphosate (Round-up) and Thallium in my body, among other things. (Attachment 8. Total Toxin Report Vibrant America June 2023). I swim in Daddy’s Creek. I drink, cook, and bathe in my well water. I have a neighbor who is being treated for bone cancer. TDEC did a cursory water testing in September, and has not shared with the bacteria numbers, only e-coli). TDEC responded that they were doing no further testing.

    Wildlife and vegetation issues: Since the installation of the ponds and drip system in 2002, Daddy’s Creek has lost the number and size of fish, per my neighbor’s reporting. Daddy’s Creek now has vegetation that it did not have before and a detergent-looking substance that floats down and gathers (it is only present after the section of the Creek that has the introduction of Fairfield Glade ground water. (Attachment 9: Vegetation in Creek. Attachment 10: Slime in Creek. Attachment 11: Foam on Creek. Attachment 12: Foam on Creek 2).

    I would also like to inform you of a second complaint of the Wyndham Golf Courses most likely affecting the ground waters (and wells) with excess fertilizer and most likely also glyphosate (Round-up). These pollutants are most likely affecting the nutrients in Daddy’s Creek and are creating concentrations that are stimulating aquatic plant and algae growth and affecting the biological integrity of Daddy’s Creek.

    Division of Water Pollution Control Rule 0400-40-03-.03(3)(k) General Water Quality Criteria:

    “(k) Nutrients - The waters shall not contain nutrients in concentrations that stimulate aquatic plant and/or algae growth to the extent that aquatic habitat is substantially reduced and/or the biological integrity fails to meet regional goals. Additionally, the quality of downstream waters shall not be detrimentally affected. Examples of parameters associated with the criterion include b