Latest news with #EffinghamCounty
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Savannah officials provide insight into timing, cause of near citywide boil water advisory
Staff at Savannah's Industrial & Domestic Water Treatment Plant began seeing elevated turbidity, or cloudiness, in its internal monitoring around 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, said Savannah's Chief of Water Resources Ron Felder during a news media briefing Friday night. The city issued a boil water advisory for a vast majority of its water customers at around 8 p.m.; impacted areas include customers in the city limits, portions of unincorporated Chatham County and some customers in Effingham County. The advisory is still active. The city's I&D plant pumps roughly 50 million gallons of water each day, meaning water can take from "a few hours" up to 20 hours to reach customers' tap within the city, depending on the tap's location within the water system, City Manager Jay Melder said during the briefing. Elevated turbidity does not pose a health risk itself but can interfere with disinfection in the treatment process and "provide a medium for microbial growth," Melder said. Turbidity may indicate the presence of bacteria, viruses, and parasites, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches, Melder said. "These are the impacts that we are asking our customers to avoid by boiling their water until the boiled water advisory is lifted," Melder said. Breaking news: Savannah water users in Chatham, Effingham counties under boil water advisory Friday The issue was caused by an "interruption" with a pipe that feeds a purifying chemical into the system. The issue was resolved Friday evening and city staff is still investigating the exact cause of the interruption. City crews were testing water samples Friday night, and those water samples take roughly 24 hours to mature, according to staff. Melder said the city is looking at around 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. Saturday for test results to return and determine if it is safe to lift the advisory. More specifically, city crews are monitoring chlorine levels, a disinfecting chemical. Those levels were "sustaining themselves" as of Friday's 10:30 p.m. press briefing, Feldner said. "As long as those chlorine levels remain at the appropriate level, then even if there is a slightly elevated turbidity in the water, the chlorine disinfection remains intact," he said. Friday night's briefing provided greater insight into the city's monitoring and response timeline. After noticing elevated turbidity in the early afternoon, staff alerted Feldner of the levels at around 4:15 p.m. Crews conducted further testing and turbidity continued to rise, Feldner said. The EPD was notified at 6 p.m., and the EPD subsequently advised a boil water advisory was needed due to how peak levels compared to regulatory standards. The regulatory threshold for turbidy is 1.0 Nephelometric Turbidity Units, and Savannah's levels peaked at 1.6 NTUs. Officials noted that Savannah's water system is a "blended system," with a mix of groundwater and surface water. It is surface water that requires treatment. While the system is blended, customers northwest and due north of the city receive 100% surface water, Feldner said. While an exact percentage was not available, as high as 75% of the city's system may have seen "some amount" of higher turbidity, Felnder added. Evan Lasseter is the city and county government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at ELasseter@ This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah officials shed light on cause, timing of boil water advisory Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Senior Spotlights: Local graduates
EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – Six local high school graduates from Effingham and Chatham counties are well on their way to chasing their dreams. We are stepping into their shoes, learning more about what has brought them to this milestone. Effingham County High School Valedictorian Ella Browher and Gulfstream Youth Apprentice Scholar DaShaun Hardy are testaments to how hard work pays off. 'The hard nights where I was working and studying was just one part of it,' Ella said. 'But my teachers that helped me and brought me to where I am today.' DaShaun agreed, 'Going to work and going to school at the same time was really something I didn't think I would be able to do. I was taking AP classes, doing enrollment classes, honors and doing all of that while going to work as well. I thought it was unachievable.' South Effingham High School Valedictorian Matthew Ji and National Merit Scholar William Maher remind us that growth is gradual, and each step teaches lessons. 'When I came in freshman year, I was a very shy, very quiet, kind of like a turtle,' Matthew said. 'But I'm very, very grateful to my friends and teachers and family who have helped encourage me to try more things to try tennis.' William told WSAV, 'Time management is a big one. If you're not challenged with having to do a lot of different things, extracurriculars and school activities, you don't learn how to really manage your time, good study and maintain friendships, relationships, things like that.' Through it all, South Effingham High School Salutatorian Bowen Liu said it takes a village. 'I would really like to thank my parents,' he said. 'My parents were humble, Chinese immigrants who came over to the us and took the risk of entrepreneurship and they would be they were able to provide me with the resources to pursue my education.' And Telah Edwards? She is eager to pave the way for those who follow. 'You have to be able to balance social life and your school life,' she said. 'Go with your friends, have a study day, go to Starbucks, just be with your friends. Be surrounded by people that are going to get you to that next level.' Continue to be a student of your craft, class of 2025! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
