E. coli in the Arkansas River tested well above safe levels after a 4.2 million-gallon untreated sewage spill in Pueblo, tests by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on Thursday and Friday showed.

Samples collected several miles downstream of the Pueblo Wastewater Facility recorded over 2,400 colony-forming units (CFU) per 100 mL, above the 100 CFU/100mL considered safe to swim. Upstream, tests showed levels of 64 CFU/100mL on Thursday and 28 on Friday.

Coming into contact with the contaminated water could carry bacteria, viruses and parasites that cause diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fever and other symptoms, according to the CDPHE’s news release on Monday. If someone contacts the water, CDPHE advises:

• Washing hands and exposed skin thoroughly with soap and clean water
• Removing wet clothes and washing them separately
• Seeking medical attention if symptoms develop, especially if they are severe or if the person is very young, older, pregnant or has a weakened immune system

There is no evidence the spill has impacted drinking water, and growers in the Arkansas Valley must ensure the water they use is in compliance with food safety requirements, according to the CDPHE.

The spill occurred when a hole cut “many years ago” in a wastewater pipe and patched with concrete burst under pressure within a stormwater pipe on Thursday morning, according to the city of Pueblo.

The Pueblo Wastewater Department notified numerous regional partners about the leak on the day it happened, including state officials and downstream communities.

The CDPHE added the community of Blende to the list in a public health advisory in its news release on Monday and did not include Boone or Swink, as the city of Pueblo did. Both entities warned Avondale, Fowler, Manzanola, Rocky Ford, La Junta and Las Animas.

A recreational water advisory remains in effect for the area where Fountain Creek meets the Arkansas River, pausing swimming, wading, tubing, kayaking and fishing.

Eleven of 12 additional E. coli tests conducted downstream, including near Rocky Ford, Nepesta and La Junta, on Friday by the Pueblo Wastewater Department also showed levels unsafe for recreation, according to CDPHE data. Those ranged between 448 and 2,187 CFU/100 mL.

The only test that recorded safe levels was in Las Animas, but a note attached to the result advised that it may increase as the spill progresses downriver.

On Sunday, CPW warned John Martin State Park visitors to avoid contact with its reservoir and the Arkansas River due to the spill, according to previous Gazette reporting.

The CDPHE has established a webpage dedicated to the spill with up-to-date information, test data and the status of the advisory.