Sewage spill keeps Arkansas River off limits
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The remnants of a massive sewage spill in Pueblo are still working their way down the Arkansas River.
Why it matters: While officials say risks to drinking water and agriculture have been minimal, much of the river remains off limits to recreation more than two and a half weeks after the spill.
- Farmers who rely on the river for irrigation also complained officials were slow to warn them of the danger.
Catch up quick: A broken sewage pipe in Pueblo spilled 4.2 million gallons of sewage into the river Aug 26–27.
- It took the city 24 hours to detect the leak and stop the flow.
What they're saying: "I'm confused as to how this happened and how it happened for so long and didn't get noticed," Crowley County farmer Matt Heimerich told state officials last week, per KUSA-TV.
Officials said crops were largely protected because low water levels meant most farmers were already relying on other sources for irrigation — an unexpected upside to a challenging drought.
- "Don't avoid buying your Rocky Ford cantaloupes or your Pueblo chilies because of this," Jack Goble, manager of the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, said last week.
Yes, but: "A lot" of contaminated water had already been diverted into irrigation ditches before notice came, farmer Kent Ricken said, per CPR.
- He blamed slow notification for making things worse.
🛑 Threat level: Recreation between Pueblo and La Junta remains a no-go.
- E. coli readings were off the charts at four sites in test results shared by state health officials late last week.
- And none of the nine sites tested in the area returned results within levels deemed safe for recreation.
Meanwhile, the John Martin Reservoir reopened for recreation Sept. 4.
- Water quality readings there continue to show E. coli remains at safe levels.