Public health officials extend Arkansas River advisory until further notice after untreated sewage spill near Pueblo
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), along with the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment, is advising people to avoid the Arkansas River until further notice after a sewage spill last week.
Originally, residents were only asked to avoid the area until Monday, Aug. 31, but that has now been extended until further notice. On Friday, one day after residents were alerted to the discharge, around 4.25 million gallons of untreated sewage were released.
On Monday, CDPHE released data about the E. coli levels, and say they were still significantly elevated downstream of where the spill happened. Officials say the state standard for safe swim beach access is 235 colony-forming units (CFU) per 100 mL.
As of Friday, upstream numbers were normal, but downstream numbers near Nyberg Road were>2,419 CFU per 100 mL. CDPHE says the numbers are listed as greater than that number because they go over the maximum limit the testing equipment can process. Downstream numbers near Baxter Road dropped slightly from Thursday to Friday to around 1,120 CFU per 100 mL.
According to officials, the contaminated water is expected to continue to move downstream, but the advisory applies to the Arkansas River from where Fountain Creek enters the river through John Martin Reservoir. That includes Blende, Avondale, Fowler, Manzanola, Rocky Ford, La Junta and Las Animas.
Officials at the Pueblo County Public Health Laboratory found high levels of E. coli in the water samples after the spill. CDPHE says the testing will continue over the next few days to assess contamination.
On Sunday, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported the spill had reached a reservoir in Bent County.
According to CDPHE, it is unclear when the advisory will be lifted. Until further notice, CDPHE is asking people to stay out of the river downstream of the discharge location, including swimming, kayaking, tubing or wading.
They also say not to allow pets or livestock to drink the water, or use it to prepare food, and to avoid fishing in the area. The state's Department of Agriculture has notified producer growers of the notice and is continuing to provide them with information.
Anyone who comes into contact with the water is asked to wash their hands and exposed skin with soap and water immediately, remove wet clothing, wash it separately, and contact a health care provider if any symptoms develop.
CDPHE says as of Monday, there is no evidence the incident has impacted drinking water in the area. CDPHE has released a dedicated website for information related to the spill.
Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.
