Dan Kirmer warns visitors to avoid water contact at John Martin Reservoir State Park due to sewage spill

Dan Kirmer, the manager of John Martin Reservoir State Park, stated that visitors and pets should avoid contact with the reservoir and the Arkansas River starting Monday. This follows a 4.2 million-gallon untreated sewage spill from a wastewater treatment plant in Pueblo that began on Wednesday and was stopped on Thursday. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials reported that the spill contains harmful bacteria, specifically high levels of E. coli, which will reach the reservoir by Monday morning. The park will remain open, but activities such as swimming, wading, tubing, paddleboarding, and fishing are restricted until the contamination moves through. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is coordinating with state officials to monitor the water and take samples. While the sewage spill is a separate issue, Lake Hasty at the park also remains closed to full-body water contact due to high levels of blue-green algae. Warning signs will be posted around the park and the reservoir to alert the public.

Sources

• Denver Gazette
  John Martin Reservoir under water contact advisory as sewage-contaminated water moves downstream
• krdo.com
  CPW issuing water contact advisory for reservoir downstream of the Arkansas River after sewage released in Pueblo
• CBS News
  Pueblo residents lose trust after more than 4 million gallons of sewage dumped into Arkansas River

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Paywall and unreadable sources

• 9News
  4 million gallons of sewage move downstream to Colorado reservoir
• The Colorado Sun
  4.25 million gallons of raw sewage taints Arkansas River after Pueblo city accident