Update 12/18/2023 4:30 p.m.
Bear Creek Water Treatment Facility’s finished water testing recorded the following Manganese levels over the weekend, which affected the system’s coloration:
12/16 @ 12:00 a.m. – 0.17 mg/L
12/17 @ 12:00 a.m. – 0.059 mg/L
12/18 @ 12:00 a.m. – 0.033 mg/L
US EPA has established 0.3 mg/L as a health advisory level and a secondary guideline of 0.05 mg/L due to aesthetic issues.
Water Resources will continue flushing lines over the next 24 hours to further reduce water discoloration
Update 12/18/2023: Bear Creek reservoir water is clear. Oconee County Water Resources staff is doing heavy flushing of lines in Oconee today, and areas closest to the intake (Bogart) have already cleared.
Notice from Oconee County Water Resources: The Bear Creek reservoir is experiencing higher than average levels of manganese, which is causing the water to have a yellow tint. The water is safe for consumption. Additional treatment measures have been taken, and the discoloration issue should be resolved within the next few days.