Welcome to “ground zero” for sewer spills in DeKalb County.
That’s how officials refer to Melanie Court, a dead-end street near Decatur that backs up to Shoal Creek.
The manhole at Melanie Court has seen 22 sewage spills since 2014, the most recorded at any site in DeKalb, the county said in a statement.
Wednesday morning, crews demolished a home at 1615 Melanie Court to begin the construction and repair of sewer pipes in the area. The county purchased the home for $315,000 about a year ago, according to property tax records.
The project cost a total of $10.9 million and is part of the $1.2 billion effort in DeKalb to fix the county’s aging sewer system. CEO Michael Thurmond mentioned “ground zero” during remarks to the county commission Tuesday. Thurmond was arguing why the county needs to continue paying a consultant for insight on DeKalb’s ongoing negotiations with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and state Environmental Protection Department.
» RELATED: DeKalb continues consulting with former county DA on sewer issues
In 2010, DeKalb entered into a consent decree with the environmental agencies, pledging to rehabilitate its sewer system and stop sanitary spills. It could take several more years until DeKalb is in compliance with that agreement, Thurmond has said.
“I didn’t create the problem, but now I own the problem,” Thurmond told the commission, arguing why the consultant position is needed. “If we fail, then we will have crippled the economic growth of our county.”
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