City of Jackson Sewer / Clean Water Act Violations
Photo Billy Duggar, On Wings of Care and Healthy Gulf
City of Jackson Wastewater Treatment
The City of Jackson's Savannah Street Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) is located on the banks of the Pearl River south of I-20 in Jackson. The facility is operated by Veolia, a international company that provides waste management services. Savannah Street treats Hinds, Madison and Rankin county municipal wastewater prior to its discharge into the Pearl River.
The City maintains over one thousand miles of interceptor and collector sewer lines throughout the metropolitan area. The City's principal sewer line, the West Bank Interceptor, extends on the west bank of the Pearl River from the Madison-Hinds county line to the Savannah Street WWTF.
The City of Jackson's Savannah Street Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) is located on the banks of the Pearl River south of I-20 in Jackson. The facility is operated by Veolia, a international company that provides waste management services. Savannah Street treats Hinds, Madison and Rankin county municipal wastewater prior to its discharge into the Pearl River.
The City maintains over one thousand miles of interceptor and collector sewer lines throughout the metropolitan area. The City's principal sewer line, the West Bank Interceptor, extends on the west bank of the Pearl River from the Madison-Hinds county line to the Savannah Street WWTF.
2012 EPA/MDEQ vs. City of Jackson Consent Decree
Click here to read the decree
In November 2012, the Jackson City Council entered into a consent decree with the EPA and MDEQ regarding operations at the Savannah Street WWTF. Negotiations had been ongoing for over 2 years. According to MS Business Journal: "The city of Jackson released more than 2.8 billion gallons of minimally treated sewage-enough to fill four NFL stadiums-into the Pearl River system over the last four years." The consent decree required the City to pay a civil penalty of $437,916, execute a $875,000 environmental project, and overhaul its wastewater treatment plant and collection systems. The City was given 18 years to fully comply, with the vast majority of the work to be completed within the next 11 years (by 2023).
Under the consent decree, the City must address:
1. Repairs to the Savannah Street WWTF
2. Rehabilitation and repairs to the City's wastewater and transmission system
3. Rehabilitation and repairs to the West Bank Interceptor
Under the consent decree, the City must address:
1. Repairs to the Savannah Street WWTF
2. Rehabilitation and repairs to the City's wastewater and transmission system
3. Rehabilitation and repairs to the West Bank Interceptor
Continued Clean Water Act Violations
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The Savannah Street WWTP continues to be in "significant non-compliance" with its National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. According to the EPA ECHO database, the WWTF was in Significant Non-compliance for 11 of the last 12 quarters. In the spring of 2021, Fecal coliform released was 1400% above permit limits. The plant has had effluent violations for ammonia, total nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, Total Suspended Solids, fecal coliform and flow.
In a letter to MDEQ dated April 16, 2015, EPA acknowledged, “that a substantial portion of the existing nutrient pollutant load is due to frequent bypasses, leaking sewer pipes and sludge deposits in the Pearl River associated with the City of Jackson wastewater treatment facility." |
Click to view current EPA status
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Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs) and Prohibited Bypasses
A Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) is an event in which untreated sewage is discharged from the sewage collection system into the environment prior to reaching the sewage treatment facilities. These discharges endanger human health, cause property damage, and degrade our local water quality. A bypass is the intentional diversion of a waste stream from any portion of a Waste Water Treatment Facility (WWTF). Examples of a bypass include diverting the flow of wastewater around a clarifier or de-chlorination system. Bypasses are prohibited except in very rare circumstances. SSOs and bypasses are violations of the Clean Water Act.
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Click to view 2021 SSO Map
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Click to view 2020 SSO Map
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Click to view 2019 SSO Map
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Click to view 2018 SSO Map
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Multi-Year Water Contact Advisories
On May 16, 2019, MDEQ issued a Water Contact Advisory for Pearl and Other Streams in the Jackson area. The advisory covered "the section of the Pearl River from its confluence with Hanging Moss Creek to the Swinging Bridge in Bryam. Advisories are also issued for Hanging Moss Creek, Town Creek, Lynch Creek, Eubanks Creek, Hardy Creek, and Trahon Creek. Also included is Tilda Slough which is along the south side of Pascagoula Street and east of Jefferson Street (parallel to Pascagoula Street) that flows through an underground culvert then emerges at I-55 near the Pearl Street exit. This slough drains north under High Street where it is pumped to the Pearl River." On June 4, 2019, the Water Contact Advisory was revised to include "Big Creek and Belhaven Creek, including a sandbar called “Belhaven Beach,” where it flows into the Pearl River." On June 19, 2020, the Water Contact Advisory was extended, "The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) revised its general water contact advisory Friday for the Jackson area to include Purple Creek, Three Mile Creek, Cany Creek, and White Oak Creek." |
Click to view Water Contact Advisory
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Water Quality in the "Jackson Segment"
MDEQ releases a biennial Section 305 (b) report on the results of their ongoing state-wide water quality assessments. The 305 (b) report is used to develop a list of the state's impaired waterbodies as required by Section 303 (d) of the Clean Water Act. After a waterbody section is listed on the 303 (d) list, a TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) is created to develop strategies for improving water quality and restoring a waterbodies designated use.
Section 305 (b) reports for the "Jackson Segment"
As noted in the 2014 Section 305(b) Report, water quality data indicates that the entire "Jackson Segment" of the Pearl River (Water Body ID MSUMPRLR1E) was not meeting its intended uses (primary contact or secondary contact/aquatic life support).
In 1996, the entire section of the Pearl River from Ross Barnett Reservoir to confluence with the Strong River, was placed on the the Section 303 (d) list of impaired water bodies due to nutrients/organic enrichment and low dissolved oxygen. A TMDL for nutrients, measured as nitrogen and phosphorous, was completed in May 2009 for the entire Pearl River. The "Jackson Segment" was reevaluated for nutrients and a TMDL issued in April 2015. Recommended action in 2009 TMDL was 56% reduction of total phosphorus. Recommended action in 2015 TMDL for Pearl River from Ross Barnett Reservoir to Strong River is 70% reduction of total phosphorus.
MDEQ releases a biennial Section 305 (b) report on the results of their ongoing state-wide water quality assessments. The 305 (b) report is used to develop a list of the state's impaired waterbodies as required by Section 303 (d) of the Clean Water Act. After a waterbody section is listed on the 303 (d) list, a TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) is created to develop strategies for improving water quality and restoring a waterbodies designated use.
Section 305 (b) reports for the "Jackson Segment"
- 2008 Section 305(b) Report:
- Hanging Moss Creek – Not attaining aquatic life support use.
- 2012 Section 305(b) Report:
- Pearl River from confluence with Caney Creek to confluence with Trahon Creek –Not attaining aquatic life support use.
- Pearl River from MWS boundary 5106 to confluence with Weeks Mill Creek – Not attaining primary contact (recreational) use.
- 2014 Section 305(b) Report:
- Lynch Creek – Not attaining aquatic life support use.
- Pearl River from the Reservoir to confluence with Hanging Moss Creek – Not attaining secondary contact use.
- Pearl River from confluence with Hanging Moss Creek to MWS 5092 Boundary –Not attaining secondary contact use.
- Pearl River from Highway 25 at MWS5092 Boundary to Highway 80 – Not attaining secondary contact use.
- Pearl River from Highway 80 to confluence with Richland Creek – Not attaining secondary contact use.
- Pearl River from confluence with Richland Creek to confluence with Caney Creek – Not attaining primary contact (recreational) use.
- Pearl River from confluence with Caney Creek to confluence with Trahon Creek – Not attaining aquatic life support or secondary contact uses.
- Pearl River from Trahon Creek to confluence with Big Creek – Not attaining primary contact (recreational) use.
As noted in the 2014 Section 305(b) Report, water quality data indicates that the entire "Jackson Segment" of the Pearl River (Water Body ID MSUMPRLR1E) was not meeting its intended uses (primary contact or secondary contact/aquatic life support).
In 1996, the entire section of the Pearl River from Ross Barnett Reservoir to confluence with the Strong River, was placed on the the Section 303 (d) list of impaired water bodies due to nutrients/organic enrichment and low dissolved oxygen. A TMDL for nutrients, measured as nitrogen and phosphorous, was completed in May 2009 for the entire Pearl River. The "Jackson Segment" was reevaluated for nutrients and a TMDL issued in April 2015. Recommended action in 2009 TMDL was 56% reduction of total phosphorus. Recommended action in 2015 TMDL for Pearl River from Ross Barnett Reservoir to Strong River is 70% reduction of total phosphorus.
