E levels. coli bred in the Chattahoochee River near Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ga. — A Georgia conservation group is issuing a water quality alert after finding signs of potential sewage along a portion of the Chattahoochee River.

The Chattahoochee River Keeper posted an article about the issue on Facebook Wednesday.

According to the group, it collected water samples from the Phenix City Wastewater Treatment Plant in Alabama, just across the Georgia-Alabama border near Columbus.

The group said it saw signs of “undertreated wastewater” flowing from the plant into the Chattahoochee River along the state border, and tests confirmed spikes in E bacteria levels . coli in the river immediately downstream of Phenix City and Columbus.

The group is now warning river users to “exercise caution” downstream of the plant as the risk of exposure to harmful bacteria is high. The group said water quality is not affected in the whitewater stream upstream of the plant.

People on the river are encouraged to:

• Avoid submerging yourself completely underwater
• Wash your hands after contact with water
• Be especially careful around young children, the elderly, and people who are immunocompromised

The Chattahoochee River Keeper said it will provide updates as it continues to monitor the Alabama Mill outfall and others in the Chattahoochee River basin.

The new alert comes just months after the Chattahoochee River Keeper issued an alert earlier this year for another part of the river.

Last March, the Chattahoochee River Keeper sent out an alert advising people to avoid the RM Clayton Water Reclamation Center in Atlanta downstream. The center treats a significant portion of Atlanta's wastewater, and the Riverkeeper noted at the time that high levels of E.coli had been found in the river. The city's water supply has never been compromised.

Last week, the city of Atlanta agreed to pay a $163,000 settlement after state officials said the water treatment plant clogged the river more than 69 times in a year.