(JACKSON, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a water contact advisory Tuesday for a portion of Bernard Bayou in Gulfport. The advisory includes the bayou from Three Rivers Road to Old Magnolia Road (see attached map).
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.
The advisory is being issued due to a broken sewage force main that has resulted in the discharge of untreated wastewater into the bayou. The city is currently working to locate the broken pipe and is rerouting wastewater until the pipe is located and repaired. MDEQ staff is working with the city to resolve the issues.
MDEQ staff will collect water samples tomorrow and will continue to monitor the water quality in the area. The advisory may be revised as needed.
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