Gwinnett County Expert Testimony

Expert testimony during the trial by Dr. Jack Jones showed that the permitted 40 mgd treated sewage discharge would pollute a portion of Lake Lanier.

Dr. Jack Jones is a Professor of Limnology (the scientific study of life and phenomena of fresh water, especially lakes and ponds) and chair of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri. Dr. Jones is an internationally experienced and respected limnologist who teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in limnology, does research in reservoir limnology and has authored approximately 75 peer reviewed articles in his field of study.

During his court testimony on November 15, 2001, Dr. Jones explained that the permitted sewer discharge allows a phosphorus concentration several times greater than the phosphorus concentration of the lake water into which the treated sewage is to be discharged. The permitted phosphorus allowed in this treated sewage will add about eight (8) tons of phosphorus to the lake each year.

Dr. Jones further explained that the temperature of the treated sewage discharge, compared to the water temperature at different depths of the lake during the warmer months of the year, will cause the discharge to form a "sewage sandwich" at a depth in its portion of the lake that will promote algae growth, and cause the Lake Lanier chlorophyll standard to be violated. During the cooler months of the year when the lake surface water is cold, the treated sewage will rise to the surface like a sewage icing.

Dr. Jones testified, "It (Lake Lanier in the proximity of the sewer discharge) is going to look like a different lake." When Dr. Jones was asked, "will the algae blooms interfere with swimming" Dr. Jones stated that "algal blooms can cause dermatitis. People are hesitant to swim in water that is turbid with algae. Algae degrades the aesthetics. They degrade real estate values." Dr. Jones also explained that the lake below the area of the algae blooms "will have lower oxygen and so it will limit the habitat, particularly for the deep floor fishermen, the bass, white crappie, etc."

Dr. Jones testified, "You will have algae on the beaches, you will have algae in the center of the lake. People will boat into that area of the lake and they will just see green, it will be turbid."

With a hint of a possible attempt to counteract the increased phosphorus added to the lake by the Gwinnett County sewer discharge, EPD has said that reducing phosphorus discharges in one part of the lake will allow larger phosphorus discharges in another part of the lake (e.g. the Gwinnett County 40 mgd discharge). Dr. Jones explained that reductions of phosphorus in another part of the lake would not reduce the water pollution caused by the Gwinnett County treated sewage discharge into its area of the lake.

Undoubtedly there are portions of the lake that should have phosphorus concentrations lowered, but accomplishing that would not counteract increased pollution in the Gwinnett County discharge portion of the lake.

Dr Jones also testified about the Fecal Coliform permitted in the Gwinnett County sewer discharge. The LLA, during the formation of the Lake Lanier water quality standards in 1999, suggested using E. coli instead of fecal coliform as a measure of public health safety for swimming in the lake. However, the EPD chose the customary fecal coliform measurement for the lake standards and for the Gwinnett County sewer discharge.

The Gwinnett County Lake Lanier sewer discharge permit allows a monthly fecal coliform count of 23, as determined by a geometric mean of several lake water samples taken during a month. Most of us do not know much about the geometric mean calculation and our eyes gloss over when someone tries to explain it, so you will be spared an explanation attempt here. But, some of the potential negative consequences of using the geometric mean, included in Dr. Jones’ testimony, are important for us to consider. Dr. Jones explained that the geometric mean allows individual samples of lake water to have very high fecal coliform counts. The monthly 23 fecal coliform count allowed by the permit could be satisfied with 7 days of 230,000 and 23 days of 2, or 9 days at 23,000, or 12 days at 2,300 or 17 days at 230.

Certainly, no one should want to swim in waters with fecal coliform counts of 230,000, 23,000, 2,300 or 230. Obviously, the geometric mean calculation is not an adequate indicator of public health safety on any given day.

According to Dr. Jones, Gwinnett County’s permit contains no limit for mercury. Dr. Jones testified that mercury accumulates in fish tissue. Currently there are fish eating advisories for certain species of fish in Lake Lanier because of the amount of mercury in their tissues. Dr. Jones testified that if there is any mercury in the Gwinnett County sewer discharge it will add to the accumulation of mercury in fish.

Dr. Jones’ testimony made it clear that the permitted Gwinnett County treated sewage discharge into Lake Lanier will pollute Lake Lanier water. The permitted Gwinnett County treated sewage discharge allows pollutants that will impair current and legitimate uses of the Lake, particularly in the treated sewage discharge area of the lake, including bodily contact with the water.



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