Neighbors fed up with more than 1,000 pounds of trash littering creek

HENRY COUNTY — More than a 1,000 pounds of trash are littering a local creek and neighbors want it stopped.

“We can hear people throwing garbage bags down there. There are so many flies and bugs. It’s ridiculous,” said neighbor Shane McConnell, who has been living in the Hampton Point Apartments for several months.

McConnell chose his apartment for its location. After all, his unit overlooks what should be a peaceful and clean Camp Creek. Instead he says, “You see armadillos running around with plastic bottle wrappers on their heads.”

Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Katie Walls and a Channel 2 Action News photographer rode more than a mile into the woods along Camp Creek to show viewers the trash littering the bank, which included a mattress, shopping cart, and even a baby crib.

Tony Carnell, deputy manager for the Henry County Water Authority, learned about the trash from his sewer line crews, who were doing routine maintenance and grass cutting.

“This here by far is one of the worst sites that I’ve seen over the 10-year period that we’ve been doing Rivers Alive,” said Carnell.

TRENDING STORIES:

Rivers Alive is a project sponsored by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division that encourages organizations and volunteers to clean up Georgia’s waterways.

After assessing the trash along the banks, Carnell said, “I would venture to say about 80% of this trash is coming from the residents here.”

Walls called management at the Hampton Point Apartments and learned just last week the complex was purchased by Dayrise Residential. She spoke with the new manager, who began her job Monday.

“We are notifying the residents that we are fining them. We are picking up trash and if there’s names in there we are charging the residents for that, too, so it can stop. That’s one of our top priorities for this property.”

When Walls asked Carnell about fining the complex, he said, “Hopefully we can educate the owners of the apartment complex first and through education we can get it resolved. If not we’ll go through whatever process is necessary.”

In the meantime, other organizations are stepping up to fix the problem and you can help.

This Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Henry County Water Authority, Waste Water Management and volunteers will be cleaning up the mile and a half long stretch of Camp Creek.

For other cleanup sites near you and for more information on this one, visit https://ra.gaepd.org/RACleanups.aspx 

Cox Media Group