Author: Mike Grace

News Channel 5 Coverage

The issue was brought up by News Channel 5 today. You can check out the article and video at https://www.newschannel5.com/news/lick-creek-neighbors-share-concerns-over-treated-wastewater-application

Based on one quote from the news article, it sounds like this has been in the works for many years.

We’ve had biologists study the area for three years, and we’re confident it won’t see the environmental or flooding impacts that concern the residents.

Water Authority of Dickson County executive director Michael Adams

Updates from Liz Campbell

I was able to speak with Liz Campbell today at 615.532.1172 and she was really helpful. Couple of key updates from our conversation.

  • Permit draft is not completed yet so it is not available. Once it is complete, it will be posted and available via the dataviewer website https://dataviewers.tdec.tn.gov/pls/enf_reports/f?p=9034:34001
  • Public notices are posted on Tuesdays and this permit draft will very likely not be ready for posting on Jan 25, 2022 and may not even be done by the next Tuesday Feb 1, 2022.
  • Liz is collecting contact information from those calling in for information so that when the draft is posted and the public meeting is scheduled, a notice can be sent directly out to those folks.
  • Announcement for the date, time, and location of the public meeting regarding this permit will be posted at the same time as the permit draft being posted.
  • The period for accepting comments is until 10 days after the public meeting.
  • The public notice sign posted is a bit old so it doesn’t include an email address to send in comments regarding the permit application. Emails sent to water.permits@tn.gov are treated the same as a letter mailed by post to the office.
  • Liz shared the following 2 resources to research various permit data:

Liz also mentioned “How’s My Waterway” and I was able to find our local water quality report on that EPA site. You can find details on our Lick Creek Middle watershed at https://mywaterway.epa.gov/community/060400030403/overview

I asked Liz who I could talk to in regards to understanding the potential impacts of the water from the treated sewage. Liz recommended that I contact Anna R. Sartors at 615.532.0159 who is on the Board of Ground Water Management. I’ll be working on contacting Anna this week to ask more questions.

Todo items – July 24

  • Call Tennessee Division of Water Resources
  • Contact Hickman County Times
  • Start website
  • Start Facebook group
  • Design printable flyer for posting around town
  • Contact county commissioners
  • Contact Dickson county officials to try to get more information
  • Find out deadline for comment and requesting public meeting
  • Design printable flyer for sharing with neighbors

Tennessee Division of Water Resources Contact info

Found the following contact information on https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/opsp-policy-and-sustainable-practices/policy/opsp-environmental-consultation-requests/division-of-water-resources.html

For specific questions regarding projects impacting streams, rivers, lakes, and/or wetlands, please contact Lee Barber, Natural Resources Unit Manager, at (615) 532-3292 or Lee.2.Barber@tn.gov.

For questions pertaining to point source discharge systems (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits), please contact Vojin Janjic, Water-Based Systems Unit Manager, at (615) 532-0191or Vojin.Janjic@tn.gov.

Currently I’m not sure which one is the correct one to contact for questions regarding permit tracking number TN0082376 so I plan on contacting both in the next few days.

Notice Posted

The Dickson Water Authority has applied for a permit to dump treated sewage into Lick Creek. A lot of concerned citizens are sharing and discussing on Facebook. We are creating this website to help coordinate information and make an easy to share URL for when talking to others or posting signs.

Here is a picture of the notice posted at the bridge over Lick Creek on Highway 7.