A plume of contaminated mining wastewater has reached northern New Mexico waters, causing utilities in Aztec and Farmington to shut down river water intakes. The plume originated in Colorado when a team with the Environmental Protection Agency accidentally released 3 million gallons of orange-hued waste at the Gold King Mine into Cement Creek, which flows into Animas River.The waste, which contained dissolved metals, turned the water mustard. Photos of the disaster, including one of three kayakers in a yellow river, quickly made rounds on social media.According to a report in The Guardian, federal and Colorado health officials have warned water users
Mining Wastewater Plume Spreads to New Mexico Waters
On Aug. 5, an EPA team working at a Colorado gold mine accidentally released 3 million gallons of wastewater into the nearby river. Now, that water is headed toward New Mexico.
Aug 10, 2015
| by Jennifer West |
