Rivers begin reopening after mine spill

Officials in Colorado and New Mexico have lifted their bans on using river water flooded by toxic sludge in an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) spill earlier this month.

New Mexico officials reopened the Animas and San Juan rivers for water treatment purposes, as well as irrigation and recreational use, on Saturday night, the Farmington, N.M., Daily Times reports. Local officials said they could begin pumping water into city treatment facilities as early as this week.  

{mosads}The state had previously restricted using river water for land and garden irrigation, as well as for water fountains, swimming pools and washing cars. Drinking water was still safe because the area’s reserve supplies were not impacted by the spill.

EPA and state environmental regulators approved the decision to remove the restrictions on Saturday.

Colorado reopened its portion of the Animas River on Friday after contaminants from the spill reached the Lake Powell reservoir well downstream from the site of the spill, near Silverton, Colo. The toxic stream has become too diluted to present public health risks, The Associated Press reports.

The Navajo Nation is still warning residents not to use the river for crops or livestock watering until it completes its own environmental review. 

A team of EPA contractors spilled 3 million gallons of toxic waste, including lead, arsenic and other heavy metals, into the Animas River while evaluating Colorado’s long abandoned Gold King Mine on Aug. 5. 

The spill kicked off a flurry of criticism from Republicans, who promised to investigate how the agency allowed it to happen. The EPA has responded by testing water in the Animas and San Juan rivers and providing supplies of safe water for locals. Administrator Gina McCarthy traveled to the area to assess the damage last week.