Latest news with #DepartmentofWatershedManagement
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
City says they have made ‘significant strides' in improving wastewater treatment plant
City officials say they have made 'significant strides' in improving conditions at a wastewater treatment plant blamed for recent harmful spills. They offered a media tour Wednesday of the R.M. Clayton Water Reclamation Center, which has been the target of state regulators and environmentalists. In February, the state Environmental Protection Division fined the city $290,817 for violations at the facility, which is nearly 100 years old. The agency said those violations led to numerous spills of improperly treated wastewater into the Chattahoochee River, polluting it with unsafe levels of E. coli, ammonia, and fecal matter. 'Over the past months, R.M. Clayton staff and contractors have made significant strides,' said Peter Aman, Chief Strategy Officer for the city of Atlanta. TRENDING STORIES: Convicted killer mistakenly released from Clayton County Jail Frontier flight from Atlanta lands in D.C. after 'beeping noise' in cargo hold University of Alabama senior killed when tree falls on remote north Georgia campsite He said the improvements have produced results, with the facility not exceeding E. coli limits since March 2024. Greg Eyerly, the city's Commissioner of the Department of Watershed Management, said equipment has been replaced and repaired in the facility's clarifiers. Those are the settling tanks where solids – the sludge and scum – are separated from the wastewater. Eyerly said the improvements will help prevent spills of poorly treated wastewater. 'We have aging infrastructure that needs to be replaced,' he said. 'That's costly, and it's going to require investment. Technology's changing. We need to implement that technology as we rebuild our treatment plants.' Officials say the city has also hired more staff at the facility and installed additional chemical scrubber odor control systems. Eyerly, who recently moved from Houston, said Atlanta is not alone. 'The issues and challenges that we're facing in Atlanta are very, very similar to other major metropolitan areas,' he said. 'That's just typical of what you'll see in a lot of treatment plans – this ongoing replacement of equipment as it ages.' The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper has filed a federal lawsuit against the city, claiming the plant has violated the Clean Water Act. Its executive director, Jason Ulseth, declined to comment on the improvements at the facility because of the pending litigation. He said he is scheduled to tour the plant next week. 'The city continues its work on R.M. Clayton, including making the necessary investments to protect the Chattahoochee River,' Aman said. 'The city cares deeply about the Chattahoochee River and is willing to engage with any interested stakeholders on improvements to the river.',
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Atlanta mayor appoints new head of Department of Watershed Management
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced the appointment of a new commissioner for the Department of Watershed Management. Beginning April 1, James 'Gregory' Eyerly will serve as the head of the city's water department. 'Atlanta's infrastructure is critical to our city's continued growth and prosperity, demanding visionary and experienced leadership to transform our systems,' Dickens said in a statement 'Gregory's proven expertise in public works and water infrastructure positions him ideally to lead this essential transformation, ensuring a sustainable and reliable future for Atlanta. I also extend my sincere gratitude to Commissioner Wiggins for his steadfast commitment and look forward to his ongoing leadership and impact in his new role as Senior Advisor to the Chief Operating Officer.' According to the announcement from the mayor's office, Eyerly will fill the role after current commissioner Al Wiggins Jr. takes over as the Senior Advisor to the Chief Operating Officer of Atlanta. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Atlanta Falcons releasing Grady Jarrett, agent tells Channel 2 Body of beloved teacher found a month after vanishing on Lake Oconee Former Cobb County student killed after fight, shooting at house Wiggins will work to coordinate city infrastructure and the beautification projects for the Club World Cup and World Cup in Atlanta in 2026. The mayor's office said Wiggins will also be the point person for Community Improvement Districts and other infrastructure projects. As for the new head of the water department, city officials said Eyerly has an extensive level of experience, having served most recently as the City of Houston's Director of Houston Water. 'Having started as an entry-level front-line utility operator over 30 years ago, to being the Director of Houston Water, the largest city managed water & wastewater utility in US, I am excited to return to Georgia and move to Atlanta and bring a wide range of experiences and successes to be a part of Mayor Dickens team,' Eyerly said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
