Environmental Comments and More: Washington County Convenience Center: Water Contamination of the Nolichucky River

Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation

Johnson City Field Office

March 27, 2018

Tennessee Code Annotated 69-3-118 provides for remedies for a citizen’s interest in prevention or stopping unauthorized wastewater discharges or water contaminating events. The following is an observation I made at the Washington County Convenience Center identified as: Washington County Hwy Dept. Block 2, 3391 Hwy 81.

Please formally investigate this concern and provide your response and solution to this issue of concern.

My field observation and report follows:

Washington County Convenience Center Water Quality Inspection:

Stan Olmstead

Date: March 25, 2018, Onsite Field Inspection (11:45 – 12:30)

Re: Waste Water Discharge into the Nolichucky River

On Tuesday, March 20, 2018, I visited a Washington County Convenience Center to discard solid wastes and to recycle used materials. The Center has provided excellent recycling and waste management for many years at improved environmental care and economic savings to citizens.

However, while at the center it was necessary to wait until the work crew changed out the compactor bin from the compactor since the present unit was full and required replacing with a new waste bin. The process resulted in approximately 5 cubic yards of waste material falling from the compactor and onto the cement below the compactor/bin union. The bin was removed waste material shoveled back into the compactor with approximately ½ cubic yard of waste material of fluids, fines and course material that required washing out of the way to complete the bin replacement. A high-pressure water hose and “squeegee” were used to accomplish the waste removal. This material was hosed across the cement/asphalt area of the center’s compound to a drain about 35 feet from the changing compactor/bin area.

This debris material with the added hose water constituted wastewater material was unchecked, uninspected and with unknown contaminants. However the material was washed down grade and then discharged directly into the Nolichucky River, contaminating the river with this unknown material.

On March 25, 2018 I visited the area of the Nolichucky River and the surrounding fenced area of the convenience center to conduct observations, make estimated measurements and to photograph the discharge waste area. The drain within the convenient center compound accessed an 18” culvert that is under ground for approximately 50 feet then discharges outside of the fenced compound area. The wastewater then flowed down hill across the bank of the Nolichucky River approximately 45 feet and then directly into the river. A cement re-enforced riverbank to prevent riverbank erosion indicates that this practice of “hosing” wastewaters from the compactor/solid waste bin has been going on for a long time. Total distant (approximation) from the work area to the river about 130 feet.

As a concerned citizen and an individual knowledgeable on water quality the serious nature of this activity causes me to submit to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, a (69-3-118(a) formal complaint to address the need for correction and discontinuation of this activity. Photographs of the site are attached.