FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 19, 2011
CONTACT:Robbie Wilbur,
601/961-5277
MDEQ ISSUES WATER CONTACT ADVISORY FOR BAYOU PIERRE IN PORT GIBSON
(JACKSON, Miss.) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a temporary water contact advisory Friday afternoon for Bayou Pierre in Port Gibson from the U.S. Highway 61 bridge downstream to Old Mill Road on the northwest side of town. This advisory is being issued due to a broken sewer line that is discharging untreated wastewater to Bayou Pierre.
MDEQ recommends that people avoid water contact recreation such as wading or swimming in these areas. In addition, people should avoid eating fish from these waters until further notice.
The break occurred in an eight inch force main and is believed to have occurred within the last 24 hours. The city is working to get the problem repaired. MDEQ will be monitoring bacteria levels in the stream over the weekend, and the advisory will be lifted when water sampling shows bacteria levels have dropped to acceptable levels.
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