Yay!! Toxic Mine Wastewater Spill On Animas River (CO) Now Down From 770 To 550 Gallons/Minute
Mustard-colored wastewater laced with heavy metals continues to drain into a river from an abandoned mine in southwestern Colorado at a rate of about 550 gallons per minute, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which caused the spill. The rate of discharge Saturday was down from about 740 gallons per minute on Friday. But three days after the massive spill, the agency said it still didn't know what the possible environmental and health impacts are.
The agency said it hoped to have a thorough lab analysis of the contaminants — which include lead and arsenic — as soon as Sunday morning.
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Officials in both cities shut down the river's access to water treatment plants and say the communities have a 90-day supply of water and other water sources to draw from. No health hazard has been detected yet. In addition to lead and arsenic, federal officials say the spill contains cadmium, aluminum, copper and calcium, but the concentrations were not yet known. Water samples were also tested in New Mexico, but no results have been released.
In addition to New Mexico, wastewater from the mine was also inching toward Utah. The Animas flows into the San Juan River in New Mexico, and the San Juan flows into Utah, where it joins the Colorado River in Lake Powell. Officials said the contamination would likely settle into sediment in Lake Powell. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area officials said visitors will be warned starting Monday to avoid drinking, swimming or boating on affected stretches of the lake and river until further notice.
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http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765678998/Plume-from-EPA-mine-spill-likely-headed-for-Lake-Powell-visitors-to-be-warned.html
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