Water Contact Advisory Issued for Sand Creek in Oktibbeha County

PRESS RELEASE
(JACKSON, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ) issued a water contact advisory Thursday for a segment of Sand Creek
in the Starkville area.  The advisory extends from the headwaters of the
unnamed tributary that flows from south of Highway 182 to the North Farm on
to the confluence with Sand Creek northwest of Starkville Ford-Lincoln,
then southeast past Highland Plantation until the confluence with the
northern tributary of Sand Creek south of East Starkville Church/Greenland
Road.

The advisory is being issued due to a line blockage near the North Farm
wastewater pumping station at Mississippi State University that resulted in
a release of 15,000 gallons of wastewater into the creek.  The City of
Starkville has finished repairs, but MDEQ recommends that people avoid
water contact such as swimming, wading, and fishing.  People should also
avoid eating fish or anything else taken from these waters until further
notice.

MDEQ will monitor the water quality in the creek and will revise the
advisory as needed.