Pikeville must post signs indicating sewage in Sequatchie River, TDEC says

From Local 3 News: The Town of Pikeville's sewage treatment plant has received another violation notice from the TN Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).

This time, town officials are being required to post signage saying the public may encounter sanitary sewage in the Sequatchie River near Pikeville.

The signs must be posted "at all reasonable approaches and access points" no later than next week. All signage must clearly inform the hazards associated with the potential for sewage exposure.

Excess levels of E.coli measured by TDEC indicate that the processed wastewater could pose a risk to recreational activities in the Sequatchie River.
 
TDEC says Pikeville must begin weekly sampling for E. coli in the Sequatchie River, upstream and downstream of the Pikeville Sewage Treatment Pllant discharge point.
 
Sampling should continue until levels normalize.

Pikeville Mayor Philip Cagle must provide a written response to TDEC by Friday, September 19, detailing specific actions with completion dates.

Last month, Mayor Cagle responded to a separate notice of violation that TDEC sent the wastewater treatment plant in July.
 
Among other rectifications, he said both clarifiers were working again, but it took some time to find obsolete parts as the plant was "old."

"The City of Pikeville is fully completed to making clean water," Cagle stated. "We are currently building a new 20 million [wastewater treatment plant] at a new beautiful site."

We have reached out to Mayor Cagle's office for comment.

Read the full notice here.