Any citizen is welcome to tour Peachtree City's sewerage facilities but "must be accompanied," Larry Turner told the Water and Sewer Authority Monday.

The WASA manager aired his disagreement with water-monitoring visits by Dennis Chase, a local biologist and president of the Line Creek Association of Fayette County. Turner said that Chase had visited all three treatment plants Flat Creek, Line Creek and Rockaway and had the permission of on-site personnel only at Rockaway.

Later in the meeting, Chase said he wished to "clarify" Turner's statement. Chase said he was following an "open invitation" from Turner to visit sites at any time: "he told me just to check with whoever was there." Chase said he found no one present at first at Line Creek, but later explained his purpose to the manager, who had "no problem" with Chase's presence. At Flat Creek, he said, he "did ask for Mr. Turner, but he wasn't there," so Chase "walked around to the outfall to check the conditions." He did pH and temperature tests, he added.

He also said he observed what appeared to be "blue dye and foam" at Flat Creek, and "about two or three cubic yards of dirt" that appeared to have been pushed into a wetlands area. He said he "reports serious problems" that he sees to the Ga. Environmental Protection Division (EPD).

It was Chase's report, Turner confirmed, that has brought EPD investigators to Flat Creek plant to check out 15 old metal barrels left in a scrap area by Georgia Utilities, previous owners of the Peachtree City system. Turner said that he is prepared to "take whatever corrective action is necessary" about the barrels. He said the dirt in the wetlands was apparently a mistake by a staff member who was asked to "spread" the soil from office building excavation, and that "it might cause more damage to the wetlands to try to remove it at this point."

Chase was assured by Turner and WASA chairman John Gronner that visits to the plants are welcome, but "safety and liability" issues would make it necessary for someone to accompany Chase or any other citizen.

"We will never deny access," Gronner said, "but we have to think about liability if something happens on the authority's property."

Turner said that he had met recently with the Line Creek Assn. and "opened lines of communication" he hoped would lead to working together on problems perceived with the sewerage system.

The manager also said that an "odor expert" with Vulcan Chemical Co. is coming to the Interlochen area to assess problems with bad smells. Bill Whitehouse, resident who has persisted in attempts to get odor problems solved, said he welcomed the expert and would cooperate fully.

During the discussion on the expert's ability to detect even faint smells and extrapolate their effects according to weather and temperature, Whitehouse commented, "I feel like we're talking about a fine Bordeaux, and I'm trying to describe sewage."