New water pollution limits proposed

♦ Recommendations will go to the city commission later this month.

A proposed change to the set of standards for pollutants in local bodies of water was approved by the Rome Water and Sewer Committee and will go before the city commission at their next meeting.

The resolution adjusts the 24-hour maximum concentrations allowed for specific pollutants in determining water quality.

The recommendations change the number of milligrams of pollutants per liter in the water. For instance, it places a limit for ammonia content where there had been none before — but allows higher levels of copper, nickel, lead and zinc before the water is considered polluted.

Committee members spoke of preventing a number of pollutants that could be a concern and limiting the amount of phenol introduced into the waters by local industries. Phenol is an antiseptic and disinfectant that is widely used in the production of resins for a variety of manufacturing operations.

The resolution will go before the city commission for discussion and possible approval at its Sept. 14 meeting.

The committee also discussed rerouting a sewer line exposed by erosion on the banks of the Coosa River. The issue is concentrated on a section of sewer on Horseleg Creek Road right off Shorter Avenue.

“It’s been a long term headache,” City Commissioner Jamie Doss told the committee.

Officials contacted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about stabilizing the riverbank and determined it’s not feasible. There is no funding available to combat what the Corps views as natural changes, they told the committee.

City Commissioner Randy Quick, who chairs the Water and Sewer Committee, said they will move the pipe system to a more stable area and expect the completion date for the project to be in early 2021.