On January 6, 2026, between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., approximately 25,000 gallons of wastewater was discharged into an unnamed tributary of the Seventeen Mile River. The incident happened due to deterioration of the force main sewer pipe.
The City of Douglas released the following statement: “As a precaution, it is recommended that citizens have no contact with the affected stream water until after 01/20/2026. Wastewater Treatment Plant staff will be sampling the waterway both upstream and downstream of the spill to ensure that the water quality has not been adversely affected. Sampling will be conducted for dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, and temperature. For more information, please contact Kevin Davis, Project Manager 912-389-3444.”
The Satilla Riverkeeper made the following post yesterday on its Facebook page: “The Satilla Riverkeeper is aware of a sewage spill that occurred near Seventeen Mile River on January 6th. Water quality samples were collected today from General Coffee State Park, the HWY 64 landing, and the HWY 158 landing. All water quality samples were found to be within normal state standard ranges. Testing for E.coli is currently underway and the results will be shared upon a 24-hour incubation period. There is NO indication of sewage from this incident entering the Satilla River at this time. Out of an abundance of caution, we encourage residents and recreators to avoid contact with Seventeen Mile River as directed by the City of Douglas. We will continue to monitor this situation.”
