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Atlanta airport sewage spill leaks near Sullivan Creek

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
FOX 5 Atlanta
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Published September 17, 2026 8:12 AM EDT
Published September 17, 2026 8:12 AM EDT

The Brief

    • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport reported a 33,000-gallon sewage spill near Runway 10-28 into a wooded area by Sullivan Creek.
    • Normal lift station operations were restored within 90 minutes, and crew members treated the affected ground area with a neutralizing agent.
    • Flight operations and passenger services were unaffected, while officials continue to monitor downstream water quality.

ATLANTA - A sewage spill at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport sent an estimated 33,000 gallons of waste into a wooded area near Sullivan Creek on Wednesday, according to officials. 

What we know:

An estimated 33,000 gallons of sanitary sewage discharged from a lift station near the west end of Runway 10-28 on Wednesday. 

The spill released waste into a wooded area adjacent to Sullivan Creek.

Normal operations at the lift station resumed about 90 minutes after the start of the spill. 

Workers applied a neutralizing agent to the affected ground, and flight operations and passenger services experienced no disruptions.

What we don't know:

Investigators have not yet determined what caused the sewage lift station to fail. 

Official updates on downstream water quality monitoring required by Georgia officials have not yet been released. 

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, who issued a official legal notification detailing the event. 

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International AirportNews