Atlanta agency rejects state blame for South River fish kill

ATLANTA - An operational failure at an Atlanta wastewater facility caused an acidic chemical leak that killed more than 1,200 fish in the South River, state environmental investigators concluded. 

What we know:

Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division investigators traced the June 27 incident to the South River Water Reclamation Center. The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management operates the facility.

State reports show a four-inch reuse water line ruptured inside the facility's chemical building, flooding the basement. The flood caused acidic ferric chloride to migrate into the plant's stormwater system and discharge into a drainage ditch leading to the river.

Department of Watershed Management officials estimated that approximately 300 gallons of the solution entered the drainage ditch. The chemical discharge caused river pH levels to plunge from 7 to 3, while spiked conductivity levels showed a prolonged release lasting several hours.

By the numbers:

Investigators cataloged 1,254 dead fish representing multiple species across the 2.5-mile area. The dead fish included 341 darters, 308 cyprinids, 275 sunfish, 187 mosquitofish, 121 bullhead catfish and 22 suckers.

The total monetary damage stands at $4,751.33, which includes $1,471.67 in lost fish value and $3,279.66 in state investigative costs. Sensor data from a river gauge showed the water's pH plunged from 7 down to 3 during the morning of June 27, creating highly acidic conditions before returning to normal levels.

The other side:

City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management officials maintain that the chemical spill from the plant did not cause the fish kill. City officials stated that water quality samples collected after the incident were within normal ranges for iron concentrations and that no direct evidence demonstrates chemicals reached the river. 

What we don't know:

State environmental reports did not disclose whether the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management faces formal state fines or penalties beyond the assessed investigation costs. 

What's next:

Environmental officials confirmed that water quality parameters in the South River returned to baseline levels shortly after the incident.