Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta

Sewer spill in Norcross caused by tree roots

A construction worker reconnects a house sewer pipe while crews perform open-cut sewer main replacement along Sylvan Road at Melrose Drive in southwest Atlanta. PHIL SKINNER / AJC FILE
A construction worker reconnects a house sewer pipe while crews perform open-cut sewer main replacement along Sylvan Road at Melrose Drive in southwest Atlanta. PHIL SKINNER / AJC FILE
By Arielle Kass
March 6, 2020

About 8,000 gallons of sewage spilled in Gwinnett County Tuesday.

The spill occurred at a manhole at 640 Mitchell Road in Norcross and was caused by damage from the roots of a nearby tree.

About 8,295 gallons of sewage spilled into an unnamed tributary of Beaver Ruin Creek.

The county placed signs letting residents know about the spill, raked the area and spread lime to mitigate the spill’s effects.

About the Author

Arielle Kass covers Gwinnett County for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She started at the paper in 2010, and has covered business and local government beats around metro Atlanta. Arielle is a graduate of Emory University.

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