VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) — A Valdosta resident says he has spent the last five years trying to stop trash from flowing into Sugar Creek, but claims repeated reports to the city have led to little action.

Bobby McKenzie says the problem starts long before litter reaches the creek. According to McKenzie, trash left in commercial parking lots is washed into storm drains during rain events, collecting in stormwater detention ponds before eventually flowing into Sugar Creek.

Detention pond concerns date back to 2021

McKenzie points to a detention pond behind Best Buy as one example. He says he first reported concerns about the pond to the City of Valdosta in July 2021 and believes the issue has gone unresolved.

He also alleges multiple reports submitted through the city’s SeeClickFix system regarding litter ordinance violations and stormwater concerns were closed without enforcement.

McKenzie argues that better enforcement of the city’s litter ordinance — including requirements for commercial properties to provide trash receptacles and keep parking lots free of litter — could help prevent debris from entering local waterways.

Volunteer cleanup planned for Sugar Creek

On Saturday morning, McKenzie and a group of volunteers plan to remove a trash-filled logjam from Sugar Creek. In a social media post promoting the cleanup, McKenzie also questioned the city’s handling of previous grant-funded creek cleanup efforts. He alleges a $2 million grant used to remove logjams in other drainage creeks did not address Sugar Creek, and argues a separate $100,000 grant for a trash trap has been less effective because upstream logjams continue to block and redirect debris. WALB has not independently verified those claims.

WALB plans to meet McKenzie at the detention pond to see firsthand where he says trash is entering the stormwater system and eventually making its way into Sugar Creek.

WALB has emailed the City of Valdosta requesting information about enforcement of its litter ordinance, maintenance responsibilities for the detention pond, the complaints dating back to 2021, and what steps, if any, the city is taking to reduce litter entering local waterways. This story will be updated once the city responds.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, Instagram and X. For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.