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Department of Ecology News Release - November 6, 2002
02-203
SPOKANE - The state Department of Ecology (Ecology) is getting ready to submit a report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that describes the pollution problems in the Colville River watershed and identifies what people can do about them.
Ecology will discuss the report with residents at a public meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Stevens County Conservation District, 232 Williams Lake Rd., in Colville.
The Nov. 21 meeting kicks off a 45-day public-comment period on the report before it goes to EPA. Comments with Ecology's responses will be included in the final report.
At the meeting, water quality experts will explain the technical portion of the report that evaluates the bacteria levels in the Colville River watershed. They also will review the summary implementation strategies, which describes the actions that people in the watershed will need to take to reduce the amount of fecal coliform bacteria entering the Colville River and its tributaries.
The technical report and the implementation strategies are part of a larger water-quality cleanup plan, known as a "total maximum daily load" (TMDL) in the federal Clean Water Act. They will be submitted to the EPA in January after the public comment period.
Sources of fecal coliform pollution in the Colville River watershed include humans (leaking septic systems), domestic animals (cattle, horses, and pets), birds and wild animals. Stormwater runoff in towns and cities may also contain high amounts of fecal coliform bacteria.
Fecal coliform bacteria are microscopic organisms that live in the intestines and waste material of warm-blooded animals. Although not necessarily agents of disease, fecal coliform bacteria can be an indicator of disease-carrying organisms.
Another cleanup plan is being submitted to address ammonia, chlorine and dissolved-oxygen problems in the river. The sources of these pollutants are primarily wastewater treatments plants, and work is already under way to resolve the problems.
All comments must be submitted in writing by Jan. 4, 2003, to be included. Comments can be addressed to Dennis Murray, 4601 N. Monroe St., Spokane, Wash., 99205, or via e-mail at demu461@ecy.wa.gov.
Contact: Jani Gilbert, public information, 509-456-4464; pager, 509-622-1289
For more information: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/tmdl/watershed/colville/index.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
