A Knoxville-based environmental group has sued Chattanooga for violating state and federal water regulations by spilling more than 310 million gallons of untreated sewage into the Tennessee River over 4 1/2 years.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court by the Tennessee Clean Water Network, alleges that the Moccasin Bend Wastewater Treatment Plant and its combined sewer system had 489 sanitary sewer overflows between January 2006 and June 2010.
In addition to polluting the river, the overflows also released nearly 35 million gallons of raw sewage into nearby creeks, roads, businesses and private residences, according to the lawsuit.
"We are confident that we can work with the City to achieve a solution that will clean up these sewer overflows. We have worked well with other cities on similar issues and are looking forward to assisting the City in any way we can," TCWN's Executive Director Renee Hoyos, in a prepared statement.