Muddy Water From Construction Sites
Poorly planned and implemented development can pollute our rivers, streams and lakes with eroded soil from construction activities, degrading water quality, reducing downstream property values, raising the cost of clean drinking water, and harming aquatic life. Erosion control measures are required to be designed to prevent environmental damage. When they fail, severe erosion can occur along with sedimentation in nearby creeks and streams.

Contact
If you see muddy water flowing off a construction site into the road or into a nearby waterway, you should contact your local government and report the problem.

In order to document the problem, note the exact location of the site and take photographs, if possible, without trespassing on private property. Note the existence and/or condition of any best management practices (e.g., silt fences, hay bales, sediment ponds, etc.) on the site.

Follow-up your call to your city or county with a letter, based on UCR’s sample letter and include copies of your photos (color photos are best) and your notes. Be as specific as possible about the problems you observe. Send a copy of this package to Alice Champagne at UCR.

Continue to monitor the site to ensure adequate resolution of the problem. If the problem hasn’t been resolved within one week, call UCR at 404-352-9828/16 or email and we will advise you on additional ways to resolve the problem.

Contact the State EPD
If you are unable to get your local government to respond to the problem, contact the state EPD, Erosion and Sedimentation Control Unit at 404-675-6240, or the specific EPD District Office below.

Provide detailed information as suggested above.

EPD Districts:
Mountain District Atlanta (404) 362-2671
Northeast District Athens (706) 369-6376
Middle GA District Macon (478) 751-6612
Coastal District Brunswick (912) 264-7284
Mountain District Cartersville (770) 387-4900
Southwest District Albany (229) 430-4144
East Central District Augusta (706) 792-7744
Coastal District Savannah (912) 353-3225

Other Resources:
You can also contact the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and request an investigation and site visit.

To learn more about what you can do, go to www.getthedirtout.org

Please also check out this Angler's Pocket Guide on what to do when you see E&S problems on the River while fishing. 

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Please also visit these sections:
Fish Kill
Sewage Spill
Non-sewage Spill
Stream Buffer Destruction
Land Use/Zoning Issues
Local Government Contacts