Utah, New Mexico clear San Juan River for drinking water

The state has reopened the Animas River for recreational use and to be used for drinking water following tests that show water quality has improved. “We’ve really weathered the storm and got the situation under control”.

They have since become legacies of the industry’s boom-bust cycles, in which companies fold up operations when metals prices fall, leaving behind sources of toxic wastewater that chronically leave rivers barren and taint drinking water supplies.

Despite river waters now returning to normal, riverbanks remain discolored and residents are cautioned to use “prudent health practices” during recreational activities.

In related news, Navajo farmers, ranchers still waiting, but other growers resume irrigating.

The EPA said it’s not offering immediate reimbursements for damages from the Gold King Mine spill and that it’s not true that someone submitting a claim limits or waives his or her future rights.

“These estimates suggest that the plume first arrived in Lake Powell somewhere between Wednesday night and Thursday morning”, according to the release.

Rep. Bob Thorpe, who represents Rim Country in the Arizona House, issued a release saying, “this spill is a gross violation of the Federal Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts and the EPA’s recently announced and controversial waters of the U.S. rule making”.

Mayes said he’ll meet with the water engineering team Monday to develop a timeline on pumping from the river. Officials said they “do not anticipate adverse human health effects due to exposure”.

The city of Durango, Colo., began pumping water from the Animas to its water treatment facility on Friday.

“I will lift the advisory only upon completion of the analysis by (Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency) and am ensured that the water is safe”, said Begaye in a statement. Still, they urged people to avoid contact with discoloration in sediment or river water.

Despite initial concerns that acidic mine waste that spilled into the Animas River could cause widespread fish and wildlife deaths, only a few fish deaths have been reported.

This article was written by JOSHUA KELLOGG from The Daily Times, Farmington, N.M. and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.

Joshua Kellogg covers education for The Daily Times.