Continuing spillage into The New River raises concern to community and environment

The Imperial County Public Health Department has issued a notice to the public to stay away from The New River.

It was reported Monday that untreated sewage discharge had spilled into the water from a pumping station in Mexicali.

It’s the fourth spill of untreated sewage into The New River this year alone and it’s starting to raise concern on how this will impact the environment and the community.

“It’s a bi-national problem; the federal government has not accepted its responsibility in probably 70 years. There’s talk now that they are going to do something, well we’ve heard that before but we are going to give them a chance,” said John Renison, Supervisor District 1, County of Imperial.

Renison explained that county and city officials are vested in this problem and hopes funding will be put in place soon. Funding that would help the new river improvement project.

“Would divert water from the new river as it comes across, to the Calexico water treatment plant, wastewater treatment plant, and brought back to The New River so as it flows north it’s going to meet California water standards. Not drinkable, not potable, but at least it meets the standards for a non-polluted river at that point,” added Renison.

The public is being asked to avoid contact with the river including the foam generated by The New River as well as to not allow your pets to enter the river.

“Over the last two years they’ve had approximately eight spills or releases from Mexicali and with that from my understanding since December basically they are averaging about a bypass a month,” said Jeff Lamoure, Deputy Director of Imperial County Public Health Department.

These releases are causing concern because of the dangers of coming in contact with harmful pathogens.

“The concern more so is with pathogens and coming in contact with pathogens with the untreated sewage being released directly into the new river. We want to avoid, we want the community to avoid the new river,” explained Lamoure

For more information on how to keep you and your family safe from contaminated waters you can head to http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/coloradoriver/.