Hurricane Zeta Could Result In Sewer Overflows Says DeKalb County

DEKALB COUNTY, GA — The National Weather Service is predicting significant rainfall Wednesday and Thursday, and because the ground is already saturated, the runoff from these storms could result in sewer overflows and spills in DeKalb County, according to city officials.

The public is asked to report any indication of overflows and spills by calling
770-270-6243, which operates 24 hours a day.

The county says it has a very aggressive monitoring and reporting system which allows them to identify spills that are not reported by the public.

In 2018, the county deployed electronic flow monitors to collect real-time data to locate, identify,
reduce and eliminate wet weather spills. Additionally, flow monitors are used to collect data to
identify stormwater intrusion. Without flow monitors, it is extremely difficult, said officials, if not impossible to pinpoint, assess and mitigate spills.

“Stormwater intrusion into the sewer system is a major source of overflows and spills in our
County,” said DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond in a statement.

• Monitoring weather predictions, including rainfall amounts and wind gusts.
• Deploying additional crews for key response and service areas, including dispatch, spill response, plant operations and maintenance, and flow monitoring.
• Fueling generators, vehicles, heavy equipment and pumps.
• Ensuring sufficient warehouse stocking levels for equipment and supplies such as rain suits, gloves, face shields and saws.
• Putting existing contracted vendors on standby to provide additional needed resources and equipment.