LOWNDES COUNTY, GA — Keeping waterways clean has been a longtime concern for many neighbors in Valdosta, Georgia — especially after back-to-back storms left debris and drainage issues across parts of the city.
Neighbors say debris and trash have been piling up in areas like Sugar Creek and Langdale Park for years.
Now, the City of Valdosta has been awarded $98,250 through the Georgia Rivers Grant Program to improve local waterways and reduce debris flowing through area streams.
City officials say the funding, which staff applied for in November 2025, helped pay for a new and upgraded debris interceptor along Sugar Creek.
The new system replaces the previous WaterGoatXL installed behind Salty Snapper and will be maintained through a partnership with Osprey Initiative, a company that specializes in removing trash from waterways.
Neighbor Bobby McKenzie says the issue only got worse after Hurricane Idalia and Hurricane Helene sent even more debris into local waterways.
“Glad to see the changes because we went through a period—there’s no hiding—we went through almost 20 years of neglect. And now, for whatever reason, we’re being active and clearing out the logjams,” McKenzie said.
McKenzie says he and other neighbors have spent years pushing for solutions like debris interceptor systems. The devices are designed to catch trash before it travels further downstream.
Last month, Valdosta receieved a $2 million grant to strengthen stormwater infrastructure in areas heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene. That funding comes from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs through the OneGeorgia Hurricane Disaster Relief Program.
City Engineer Ben O’Dowd says the grant allows the city to accelerate improvements that have been on the books for years.
“Our goal is to create more resilient pathways for runoff. We had issues with blockages from debris, so we’re trying to create more resilient pathways for the movement of water and excavating volume on city-owned property to create a stormwater management facility,” O’Dowd said.
The project targets drainage upgrades near Lakeland Avenue, including a new stormwater management facility on city-owned property and pipe improvements between Melrose Drive and Barack Obama Boulevard.
The investment will advance priority stormwater projects aimed at improving drainage capacity, system reliability, and overall public safety. It will also help reduce maintenance challenges and enhance the city’s ability to respond to future storm events.
O’Dowd says without this funding, portions of the project would have been delayed.
“This $2 million allows us to move forward with additional pipe upgrades and system improvements now, instead of spreading that work out over several budget cycles,” O’Dowd said.
O’Dowd says the primary goal of the project is to reduce flood risk for nearby residents.
“Our goal for this project and for others in the area is flood risk reduction…We can never promise no flooding, but we’re working to create a marked reduction in flood risk for nearby residents,” O’Dowd said.
For McKenzie, the recent progress is encouraging—but he says he hopes the improvements continue long-term.
“I deserve to live in a clean place and one way or another it’s going to happen,” McKenzie said.
This story originally appeared on WTXL by Malia Thomas. You can view the original story online here.