A new sewer leak reached South Chickamauga Creek on Friday, the day repairs were due to finish. Stay out of the water below the greenway pedestrian bridge.

South Chickamauga Creek will stay closed to swimming, paddling and fishing below the greenway pedestrian bridge after a new sewer leak reached the water Friday morning. It came on the day the city had expected to finish repairs from an earlier spill.

The City of Chattanooga’s Wastewater Department found leaking pipe joints more than 50 feet upstream of the sewer siphon it had already repaired. Wastewater reached the creek at about 8:20 a.m. Friday, the city said in its Oct. 16 update. The flow was small overnight, then grew Friday morning as more wastewater moved through the system.

What crews are doing

The city said crews were:

  • taking apart the manhole they built Thursday so they can put the existing bypass line back in
  • building a containment berm to limit the spread of the spill
  • working with Xylem Dewatering on a permanent bypass that will carry wastewater across the creek
  • planning extra pumps to split the flow between the existing 18-inch and 24-inch pipes
  • replacing the pipe joints where the leaks happened

A specialized contractor will install the main bypass equipment alongside city crews, the city said. The temporary bypass stays in place until a new siphon system is built. The city has not given a date for that work or for reopening the creek.

How we got here

This is the second spill on the same stretch of sewer this month. Here is what the city has reported:

  • Oct. 9: Crews set up bypass pumps to cut a sanitary sewer overflow into the creek, the city said. It said there was no immediate risk to aquatic life.
  • Oct. 9, 10:25 a.m.: Two temporary plugs stopped the discharge into the creek, according to the city’s update that day. Some overflow went into nearby woods but had not reached the creek.
  • Oct. 14: Water tests so far had come back favorable, the city said. A damaged manhole still had to be rebuilt. Final tests were set for 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, and the work was expected to wrap up by the end of Friday, Oct. 16.
  • Oct. 16, 8:20 a.m.: The new leak reached the creek.

What it means for you

  • Stay out of the water in South Chickamauga Creek downstream of the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway Pedestrian Bridge. All recreation there is suspended.
  • Access to the Tennessee River is still restricted as well, the city said.
  • Upstream of the pedestrian bridge is open.
  • Water sampling continues on its regular schedule. The results will decide when the creek reopens, the city said.

Our parks and trails guide has other places to walk, paddle and fish while the creek is closed.

Questions about the leak go to the city’s Wastewater Department. To report a sewer problem in the street, call Chattanooga 311 at 423-643-6311.

We will update this story when the city says the creek has reopened.