VDH warns in opposition to swimming in Hopewell’s Bailey Bay after sewer pipe burst

HOPEWELL, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health is warning residents to keep away from swimming and different full-body water actions in Bailey Bay in Hopewell after a sewer pipe burst was found earlier this week.

The division issued a Recreational Water Advisory “out of an abundance of caution and due to the anticipated timelines for repairs,” in keeping with a VDH assertion.

VDH

The sewage fundamental break was found in a tributary of Bailey Bay the morning of Tuesday, July 14, and remained lively as of Thursday, July 16.

“The release remains active to the ground surface at 1401 South First Avenue near Cattail Creek and is estimated at 400,000 to 500,000 gallons per day,” VDH stated. “Cattail Creek, a tributary of Bailey Creek and Bailey Bay, is a swampy waterbody with slow moving water. At this time, impacts to Bailey Creek and Bailey Bay have not been observed.”

The advisory space extends from City Point within the City of Hopewell to Jordan Point in Prince George County.

VDH is advising residents to keep away from any actions the place full-body submersion is concerned, together with:

• Swimming
• Wading
• Tubing
• White-water canoeing
• Kayaking

Boating actions the place full-body submersion isn’t doubtless — similar to motor boating, flatwater canoeing or kayaking, and fishing — could proceed with correct warning to keep away from publicity to contaminated water.

City crews and specialised contractors have been working to excavate the broken pipe, supply restore supplies, and consider restore choices. The timeline for restore is predicted to happen over the following week.

VDH stated it has noticed no proof of impacts to ingesting water. The power fundamental break has additionally not affected wastewater service for City of Hopewell utility clients.

To cut back the chance of leisure water sickness from sewage publicity, VDH recommends the next precautions:

• Avoid contact with water within the advisory space and observe advisory signage posted at waterbody entry factors.
• Avoid any space of the water physique the place water has a foul odor, useless or dying fish, or discolored water.
• Promptly wash pores and skin with cleaning soap and water in the event you can’t keep away from contact with water within the neighborhood.
• Rinse or wash gadgets that come into contact with the water, together with clothes, fishing gear, life vests, ropes, and paddles.
• Seek medical care and notify your practitioner of the waterbody publicity in the event you expertise adversarial well being results after contact with the waterbody.
• When harvesting fish, discard pores and skin and organs, cook dinner the meat to correct temperature, and clear reducing boards and reducing implements with heat soapy water.

The advisory will stay in impact till repairs are full and VDH determines leisure use can resume. For updates on the restore standing, go to the Department of Environmental Quality’s Sewer Main Failure webpage. For extra info on leisure water security, go to SwimHealthyVA.com.

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