The discoloration of Chilatchee Creek, located on Alabama Highway 66, and the knowledge of what has caused it, has led to Dallas County officials calling on the city of Uniontown to take action.

In a report released in late April, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management said it had “mobilized” scientists in response to a sewage release that had led to discolored and foul-smelling water in Freetown Creek and Chilatchee Creek.

“ADEM staff performed field observations and documented visual impacts to water in both Freetown Creek and Chilatchee Creek,” the agency said. “The negative water quality impacts were documented for a distance of nearly 20 miles downstream from the city of Uniontown wastewater treatment plant, which treats wastewater and household sewage from the city of Uniontown.”

On Friday, April 27, Dallas County Probate Judge Kim Ballard sent a letter to Uniontown Mayor Jamaal Hunter, asking the city take immediate action in clearing up the problems that had affected Dallas County.

“Due to the public health and safety risks posed to all residents along either creek, however, especially in Dallas County, I would like to request the City of Uniontown, Alabama take appropriate measures immediately to repair the faulty operating waste disposal system to ensure public safety to all residents,” Ballard said in the letter.

In their release, ADEM said water quality data had been collected and was treated for a “wide-range of pollutants” including bacteria and fecal content.

“The seriousness of the discharged prompted ADEM to submit a request to the courts for a Temporary Restraining Order to be issued to the City of Uniontown for the unpermitted discharge of wastewater,” ADEM said. “ADEM has also issued a Cease and Desist Order to the City of Uniontown to address not only the unpermitted discharge of wastewater but to also initiate efforts to cleanup and remediate existing environmental impacts to the nearby streams and adjoining private property.”

In Ballard’s letter, he told Uniontown officials the ADEM testing had shown “extremely high bacteria court, as well as discoloration and odor, due to a faulty operating waste disposal located in the city of Uniontown.”