Water contact advisory lifted at John Martin Reservoir

HASTY, Colo. — The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment lifted the water contact advisory for John Martin Reservoir in Hasty, Colorado Sept. 4, nine days after untreated wastewater spilled into the Arkansas River in Pueblo.

The water contact advisory, which the CDPHE expanded to 10 state wildlife areas along the Arkansas River and the Las Animas Fish Hatchery Sept. 2, asked visitors to avoid direct contact with the river and fisheries, according to a Colorado Parks and Wildlife press release. 

The sewage spill occurred Aug. 26, when approximately 4 million gallons of untreated wastewater spewed from a failed wastewater pipe at the City of Pueblo’s wastewater treatment facility into the Arkansas River, according to the Colorado Sun. Pueblo utility officials discovered and shut down the spill the following day, according to the same report. 

CDPHE recommended avoiding contact with the Arkansas River in and downstream of Pueblo until testing shows bacterial levels are back to normal. 

"Multiple safe readings over several days gives us confidence to lift the sewage-related advisory," said Dan Kirmer, John Martin Reservoir State Park manager, in a press release. 

CDPHE has been testing water samples since the spill, and test results are publicly available.

This is a developing story.