FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2012
Contact: Robbie Wilbur
601/961-5277
MDEQ ISSUES TEMPORARY ADVISORY FOR TOWN CREEK IN JACKSON
Advisory for Purple Creek Lifted; Caney Creek Advisory in Effect
(JACKSON, Miss.) –The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a temporary water contact advisory Monday for Town Creek in Jackson due to a wastewater discharge from Baptist Hospital into the city’s stormwater collection system. The advisory extends for a portion of Town Creek from Fortification Street to the confluence with the Pearl River.
Last Thursday the City of Jackson discovered wastewater from Baptist Hospital going into the storm drain system in the area. A contractor for Baptist Hospital, Rebel High Velocity, has corrected the problem and will continue to monitor the line. MDEQ staff today determined that wastewater flow has been restored to the city’s collection system and is no longer flowing into the storm drain. MDEQ staff has begun to monitor bacteria levels and water quality in the creek and will revise the advisory as needed.
MDEQ recommends that people avoid water contact recreation such as swimming or wading in these waters. In addition, people should avoid eating fish from these waters until further notice.
*MDEQ has lifted a temporary water contact advisory issued December 15 for Purple Creek in northeast Jackson. This advisory applied to Purple Creek at Sedgewick Drive downstream to the confluence with the Pearl River. Monitoring by MDEQ staff shows bacteria levels in the area have returned to normal.
*A temporary water contact advisory released December 20 for Caney Creek in south Jackson is still in effect. This advisory applies to Caney Creek from Highway 18 downstream to McClure Road.
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