THOMASVILLE — Mother Nature was encountered during excavation to add capacity to the city-county landfill off Joiner Road.

The landfill is divided into sections. When a section is filled with debris, a new section is excavated and lined with a thick rubber liner to prevent waste from leaking into the ground.

As the latest excavation reached limerock, two cavities — better known as sinkholes — formed, said Chris White, City of Thomasville executive director public utilities.

A sinkhole goes below limerock and gets into ground water, White said.

“We had to come back with a revised plan approved by EPD (Georgia Environmental Protection Division),” he added.

He said EPD will not allow the sinkholes to be lined, then collapse years later.

Correcting the sinkhole situation will cost $720,000. To compensate for the unexpected expense, a voluntary methane gas collection project costing $407,000 will be postponed until 2021.

White said the sinkhole project will provide re-enforcement of the entire area.

“We’re putting in five acres of grid enforcement,” he said.

The sinkhole project began last week and should be completed in two weeks.

The landfill property is owned by Thomas County government, with city government operating the landfill.

White said a sinkhole occurred at the landfill years ago, but it was not in an area used for municipal waste disposal.  

    

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820