Sewage Spill Slowly Moving Down Arkansas River
More than 4 million gallons of sewage entered the Arkansas River, and officials warned of high E. coli levels and contamination risks for farms and visitors.
- On Monday, August 31, 2026, the Pueblo Wastewater Department warned downstream communities to avoid the Arkansas River after more than 4 million gallons of untreated sewage leaked into the waterway this week.
- Infrastructure failure at the treatment plant east of Interstate 25 caused the spill Wednesday, and crews stopped the 4.25 million gallon leak on Thursday after the pipe patch failed.
- Testing by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment revealed dangerously high E. coli levels downstream, prompting health advisories for residents from Pueblo through Las Animas to avoid water contact immediately.
- Contamination reaches John Martin Reservoir State Park on Monday, compounding existing toxic algae concerns, while the Colorado Department of Agriculture issued safety alerts for produce growers requiring adequate irrigation water quality.
- With extremely low water levels limiting dilution capacity, officials remain on alert through Labor Day weekend; park staff continue testing, reporting no evidence of impact on drinking water despite resident concerns.
12 Articles
12 Articles
PUEBLO, Colo. (KTLO)--That's exactly 4.25 million gallons, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. By the time authorities detected it, the raw sewage was already flowing toward the John Martin Reservoir in Bent County. Today, Monday, August 31, there is an official water contact warning in effect at John Martin Reservoir State Park. The post Pueblo Treatment Plant Began Dumping Sewage into Arkansas River, No One Noticed Until the Next Day ap…
Sewage Spill in Colorado’s Arkansas River Prompts Health Warnings and Water Safety Advisory
More than 4 million gallons of untreated sewage spilled into the Arkansas River in Colorado last week, prompting health warnings as contaminated water continues moving downstream. The approximately 4.25-million-gallon spill began Wednesday, August 26th, near Pueblo, Colorado, and continued until it was discovered the following [...]
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