CPW expands water contact advisory to 10 state wildlife areas following Pueblo sewage discharge

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife has expanded the water contact advisory to 10 state wildlife areas after 4.2 million gallons of sewage were discharged into the Arkansas River.

The advisory for the John Martin Reservoir remains in effect.

According to a news release from the organization, the advisory now includes:

• Melon Valley State Wildlife Area
• Rocky Ford State Wildlife Area
• Oxbow State Wildlife Area
• Las Animas Fish Hatchery
• Purgatoire River State Wildlife Area
• Fort Lyon State Wildlife Area
• John Martin Reservoir State Park
• North Gateway Ponds State Wildlife Area
• Granada State Wildlife Area
• Deadman State Wildlife Area
• Midwestern Farms State Wildlife Area
• Holly State Wildlife Area

People visiting these areas should avoid swimming, wading, tubing, paddleboarding, fishing, and other activities involving direct water contact. Visitors should also keep pets away from affected water according to CPW.

News 5 has been following the spill, which occurred on August 27 after a sewage pipe leak near Confluence Park.

Testing conducted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment revealed contamination levels 24 times above normal. E. coli was also confirmed present in the water downstream of the discharge.

Watch News5's previous coverage of the spill in the video player below

Along with these wildlife areas, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment had issued a public health advisory for areas near the Arkansas River including:

• Blende
• Avondale
• Fowler
• Manzanola
• Rocky Ford
• La Junta
• Las Animas

To stay up to date on the latest, view the CDPHE's findings; click here.
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