Crews Contain Major Sewer Spill In DeKalb

LITHONIA, GA -- A major sewer spill this weekend at Snapfinger Creek in unincorporated Lithonia has been contained, officials said. DeKalb County workers and emergency contractor crews repaired a concrete junction box which was damaged by a 16-inch thick tree growing out of it, the county said.

To help the situation, two temporary redundant bypass systems were installed at the creek crossing. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

The spill was discovered on , on a 54-inch creek crossing near the Snapfinger Wastewater Treatment Plant on Aug. 23. Crews were not able to contained the spill officially until 4:15 p.m. Saturday, the Department of Watershed Management said.

DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond said that workers had been doing what they could to get the spill under control.

“Our crews have been working around the clock to repair this system and contain the spill,” Thurmond said in a statement. “We will now turn our attention to permanent repairs and the regular inspection and maintenance of our sewer infrastructure.”

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Thurmond also ordered county staff to conduct emergency inspections of all creek crossings.

Image via Pixabay