City reports violation of wastewater discharged into the Savannah River, officials say there is no threat to public health

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The City of Savannah has reported a temporary water quality issue concerning treated wastewater released into the Savannah River from the Wilshire Water Reclamation Facility.

City officials want to assure the public that testing has confirmed there is no major threat to public health.

What Happened?

Last week, routine testing found that treated wastewater discharged under the Talmadge Bridge had a slightly elevated level of a substance known as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD). The level was approximately 1.5% over the limit that requires a public notice. All other tested aspects of the water were within the permitted limits.

The issue was caused when one of the facility’s two aeration basins was temporarily taken offline for maintenance. The single operating basin