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Sewage spills create a hurdle for some DeKalb businesses

Mercy Care Chamblee, a community health center serving mostly uninsured patients, opened on Peachtree Road in April 2017. DeKalb officials previously told Mercy Care it would need to build a holding tank before it could open, but then found an alternate solution.
Mercy Care Chamblee, a community health center serving mostly uninsured patients, opened on Peachtree Road in April 2017. DeKalb officials previously told Mercy Care it would need to build a holding tank before it could open, but then found an alternate solution.
By Mark Niesse
Sept 6, 2017

DeKalb officials says the county is open for business, but companies have to check whether they'll strain a spill-prone sewer system before they can open.

The county is trying to continue economic development while at the same time preventing the risk of more sewage spills, like two overflows that spewed more than 10 million gallons of waste last month.

Ted Rhinehart, the county's deputy chief operating officer for infrastructure, says the government will give companies a clear, predictable answer about whether additional work is needed along with new construction.

Exclusive to subscribers: Read more about DeKalb’s sewer capacity problem on myAJC.com.

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The latest happened in a creek that flows through a residential neighborhood.

About the Author

Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.

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