Chattanooga stops direct creek discharge; restrictions remain

Chattanooga said its Wastewater Department stopped the direct sanitary sewer discharge into South Chickamauga Creek at 10:25 a.m. on Oct. 9, 2026, after crews installed two temporary plugs. The city said repairs to the damaged infrastructure were underway.

The stoppage applied to the direct discharge into the creek, not all overflow. The city said some overflow continued in nearby woods and had not reached waters of the state as of its update.

Recreation remained restricted downstream of the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway Pedestrian Bridge, as did access to the Tennessee River. The city said areas upstream of the bridge remained open. It advised people to avoid contact with water in the affected area and downstream until further notice.

Restrictions depend on water sampling

The city said the closure would remain in place at least through the morning of Oct. 14 while water sampling and pollution analysis were conducted. Reopening depended on the findings; Oct. 14 was not a confirmed reopening date. The city had not set a firm date for lifting the restrictions in its notice.

Updates on Oct. 9 reflected different points in the day. HERE Chattanooga reported at 9:41 a.m. that the discharge had not yet been fully stopped. The city later reported that the direct discharge stopped at 10:25 a.m. An earlier city notice had described the overflow as reduced but not completely stopped.

Estimates concern longer-term work

Before containment, city officials estimated that 500,000 to 700,000 gallons would enter the creek, according to an Oct. 7 report by the Chattanooga Times Free Press. That was a forecast made while the overflow was ongoing, not a measured final volume.

The Times Free Press also reported that Wastewater Department Administrator Mark Heinzer estimated a full repair would cost $5 million to $7 million. That is a reported estimate, not a confirmed final cost, and concerns longer-term work rather than the repairs the city said were underway on Oct. 9.

Separately, HERE Chattanooga reported that a full replacement was expected in 2027 or 2028. That is a reported projection, not a confirmed schedule. The immediate public restrictions remained tied to water sampling and analysis, while the city said repairs and monitoring were continuing.