- By DEC And Tompkins County Health Department
- News
(ITHACA, N.Y., February 23, 2017) – The Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) was notified by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) that drainage from Sunnyside Farms in Cayuga County was running clear as of Wednesday, February 22, 2017. Waters in Salmon Creek and its tributaries were also running clear to Cayuga Lake. NYSDEC reported the dissolved oxygen levels, an indicator of water quality, were at acceptable levels. Water quality was previously impaired due to a release of manure-laden water from the farm.
The Bolton Point water treatment plant has not detected any changes in untreated water quality since the spill, indicating that the contamination did not reach their intake. Based on this report, TCHD is removing the advisory against direct contact with waters in Salmon Creek and on Cayuga Lake's shore near the Salmon Creek inlet.
Information on how to disinfect contaminated water can be found on the Tompkins County website.
State and County officials also advise avoiding direct contact with waters in Salmon Creek or on Cayuga Lake’s shore near the Salmon Creek inlet.
Additional updates will be provided as they become available. For questions regarding drinking water please contact Tompkins County at 607-274-6688.
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