The mine water contains heavy metals, such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, aluminum and copper.
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On Saturday, much of Martinez’s anger was directed at the EPA.
“All these metals, in excessive amounts, are risky to human life”, Basu said.
One thing was certain: The effects of the environmental disaster will be felt for months. People who draw domestic water directly from the Animas River, San Juan Rivers or from irrigation canals should refrain from using the water until further notice. As the murky water traveled 50 miles from Silverton, it tumbled over rocks that kept it stirred. Ranchers, growers and homeowners rely on the wells, which are bored into alluvial sediments along the glacial-cut river valley.
The plume has changed color as it has advanced, fading somewhat from the bright yellow seen in Durango immediately after the spill.
“It’s really, really ugly”, Butch Knowlton, La Plata County’s director of emergency preparedness, told The Durango Herald.
Stephen Lowrance, San Juan County Sheriff deputy, said a public health advisory to avoid Cement Creek and the Animas River had been issued, and warning signs had been posted near the water routes. While the EPA was digging around, water gushed out and started to drain down.
So what now? The EPA is working to stop the flow into the river by building a retention pond next to the mine. The plan was to excavate the loose material that had collapsed into the cave entry back to the timbering. It also washed away a small retention area the crew had built. Currently, no one has been placed on leave.
“I am going to do it sensitively”, he said.
The Environmental Protection Agency sent out a team to the abandoned Gold King Mine north of Silverton, Colorado on Wednesday to have it checked and cleaned up, but it ended up in a heavy flow of wastewater.
“We have been in conversations with the town of Silverton… and the state of Colorado about listing this area under superfund”. But McGrath said conversations about a listing are ongoing.
EPA officials flew in on Friday and determined the Animas River spill was not handled properly in its initial stage and the severity of the situation was downplayed.
He expects it will pass. But the toxic metals – which are what worry him – may not pass as quickly, he said.
Now the EPA itself has caused such a mishap.
The Animas River is the largest tributary of the San Juan River, which flows through Utah into Lake Powell.
Residents who get their drinking water from municipal lines, which carry water from city treatment plants, are safe, officials said.
The spill was expected to reach the Navajo Nation by the end of Saturday. He had the signs created Friday night using leftover campaign signs from his election in November.
“I can’t give you a firm number of days or weeks that it’s going to take”, said EPA Region 8 Administrator Shaun McGrath. County health officials said the health risk remains high and awaited more testing results.
Rosemary Hart loves her home on the Animas River but when she woke up Saturday she was stunned.
New Mexico Senators Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall called the release of the wastewater “deeply troubling” and “of great concern”, respectively.
Jerry McBride/AP People kayak in the Animas River near Durango, Colo., on Thursday.
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“Until we know what we’re up against and what the effects will be, we’re saying, ‘Be cautious,”‘ Baker said. “We are anticipating another possible big release”, EPA spokeswoman Libby Faulk said. He says the impact of this kind of spill goes way beyond just the look of the river. Pressed on whether the river water now contains arsenic, the officials said laboratory testing wouldn’t be done for another 24 hours.
