Mixed reaction downstream to sewage spill

Results from water samples taken from private wells following the massive sewage spill in Woodland Park show no sign of E-coli bacteria in the water, but not everyone is convinced they are getting the full story.

The spill continues to trigger a response miles downstream.

When Colorado Springs Utilities learned of the spill on Monday, it not only diverted Fountain Creek into a retaining pond to secure any potentially contaminated water, but it also closed the connection that normally pulls water from the creek into the city’s water supply as a precaution.

As of Wednesday night, the connection was still closed.

Brian Sherman, owner of the Crystola Roadhouse along Highway 24, says when he initially heard about the spill, he was naturally concerned.

However, two days later, he says neither he nor his customers are overly concerned with the spill.

“I’m really satisfied that it’s being looked into,” said Sherman. “It’s not being ignored. And I have confidence in our local government that it’s going to be taken care of.”

Other business owners along Highway 24 said the same thing, and also pointed out that they don’t use water that comes directly from Fountain Creek.

Woodland Park city officials said Tuesday that they believed the spill didn’t actually enter Fountain Creek, because the immediate spill area was dry.

Only those property owners who use private wells would be susceptible to contaminated water if the sewage did spread underground.

But Ross Vincent with the Sierra Club isn’t convinced.

In a statement to KRDO Newschannel 13 on Wednesday evening, he said, “Sewage spills, even spills much smaller than this one, are never trivial. They are always serious. There are potential short-term and long-term public health concerns, including ground and surface water, and soil and vegetation contamination issues. There is a lot we don’t know yet. I find it curious that local officials seemed comfortable reassuring the public before the data were in.”