A sewage overflow from the Guadalupe County Correctional Facility in Santa Rosa has spilled behind nearby neighborhoods and the Pecos River, raising environmental concerns and prompting cleanup efforts. The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) said the issue was first reported on April 6. “We got a call from the city of Santa Rosa saying that they had become aware of a leak. Or better stated, a sewer overflow, from a manhole cover that is connected to a pipe from the nearby correctional facility,” Jonas Armstrong with the New Mexico Enviornment Department said. The NMED stated the sewage leak began months ago. The prison, owned by GEO Group and leased from the state, is responsible for the cleanup. Crews began working Thursday morning to address the issue. “They want to stop the flow, which they’ve done. They’ve closed off the leak from the manhole. They want to also put barriers or berms in place to stop any water that is remaining,” the NMED said. Some of the sewage has flowed into the Pecos River, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conducting tests to assess potential environmental damage. “They will conduct initial sampling, both from soil and from surface water in the Pecos to check if there’s fecal coliform or other nutrients that wouldn’t normally be in the river. That would have come from a wastewater pipe,” the EPA said. Residents have been warned to avoid the contaminated area. “They should avoid contact with, immediately downstream in the Pecos River until we know more. We work with the city of Santa Rosa on providing, like, a template public service announcement,” the NMED said. Cleanup efforts could take several weeks.
A sewage overflow from the Guadalupe County Correctional Facility in Santa Rosa has spilled behind nearby neighborhoods and the Pecos River, raising environmental concerns and prompting cleanup efforts.
The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) said the issue was first reported on April 6. “We got a call from the city of Santa Rosa saying that they had become aware of a leak. Or better stated, a sewer overflow, from a manhole cover that is connected to a pipe from the nearby correctional facility,” Jonas Armstrong with the New Mexico Enviornment Department said.
The NMED stated the sewage leak began months ago. The prison, owned by GEO Group and leased from the state, is responsible for the cleanup. Crews began working Thursday morning to address the issue.
“They want to stop the flow, which they’ve done. They’ve closed off the leak from the manhole. They want to also put barriers or berms in place to stop any water that is remaining,” the NMED said.
Some of the sewage has flowed into the Pecos River, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conducting tests to assess potential environmental damage.
“They will conduct initial sampling, both from soil and from surface water in the Pecos to check if there’s fecal coliform or other nutrients that wouldn’t normally be in the river. That would have come from a wastewater pipe,” the EPA said.
Residents have been warned to avoid the contaminated area. “They should avoid contact with, immediately downstream in the Pecos River until we know more. We work with the city of Santa Rosa on providing, like, a template public service announcement,” the NMED said.
Cleanup efforts could take several weeks.
