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Posted: 11/22/19
Water Contact Advisory for Segment of Mississippi River
Little Rock, Ark. – The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a water contact advisory Friday for a section of the Mississippi River near Greenville. The advisory includes the section of the river beginning near coordinates N33.354134 W91.129622 and ends one mile downstream near Warfield Point Dike at Mississippi River Mile Marker 536 near coordinates N33.343036 W91.141387 (see section contained in attached map).
The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) recommends that people and pets, including dogs, avoid contact with river water until further notice. Contact with river water would include activities such as swimming, wading, fishing, and eating fish or anything else taken from these waters.
The advisory is being issued due to operational issues at the City of Greenville’s wastewater treatment plant that have resulted in the discharge of minimally treated wastewater into the river. MDEQ is working with the city and the Environmental Protection Agency to address these issues. The advisory may be revised as needed.
The states of Arkansas and Mississippi are working together to monitor the effects of the wastewater discharge and its effects on surrounding environments.
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