Baton Rouge, La. – State health and environmental officials report that residents can resume use of the Bogue Chitto River in Louisiana for recreational purposes.
Officials in Mississippi have also lifted a similar advisory for the portion of the river in Mississippi.
This updated advice follows water testing results that show bacteria levels to be below the threshold of concern of 400 cfu/100 ml (colony-forming unit per milliliter) in the Louisiana sections of the river south of the site of a levee breach at the City of Brookhaven’s wastewater treatment plant last Friday.
The breach resulted in the discharge of approximately 1.3 million gallons of storm water-diluted sewage to the river. Earlier this week, Mississippi officials corrected the estimated size of release from six million gallons to 1.3 million gallons.
Results from water samples taken at six sites in Louisiana by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality this week, as well as tests conducted by the Mississippi DEQ during the week, showed bacteria levels to be below the level of concern for water contact.
The Louisiana Department of Health strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state residents. To learn more about LDH, visit www.ldh.la.gov. For up-to-date health information, news and emergency updates, follow LDH's Twitter account and Facebook.