FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2011
Contact: Robbie Wilbur 601/961-5277
MDEQ ISSUES TEMPORARY ADVISORY FOR WATERS NEAR UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI CAMPUS
(JACKSON, Miss.) –The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a temporary water contact advisory Wednesday for Burney Branch and an unnamed tributary near the University of Mississippi campus.
This advisory begins at the University of Mississippi Wastewater Treatment Plant, and extends down an unnamed tributary to Burney Branch, and Burney Branch downstream to the Yocona River. The University’s treatment plant is located just east of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The unnamed tributary flows under the new parking lot at Old Taylor Road, then under Highway 6, to the confluence with Burney Branch. The advisory extends downstream on Burney Branch, which flows under Highway 7 near Industrial Park Drive, to the confluence with the Yocona River. This advisory does not apply to the Yocona River.
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. The advisory is the result of problems with the University’s wastewater treatment plant resulting in high levels of bacteria.
MDEQ is working with officials to ensure that the problems are corrected as soon as possible. MDEQ staff has begun to monitor bacteria levels and water quality and will revise the advisory as needed.
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