A broken sewer main sent an unknown amount of untreated human wastes into one of Iowa’s most heavily used recreation spots, Big Spirit Lake.
The sewage district discovered the spill Wednesday. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating. Swimmers are warned to stay out of the water in the southwest corner of the lake, but didn’t say for how long. That general area includes Orleans Beach, though DNR’s statement didn’t specifically mention that swimming area. Sewage had run into a ditch, then through a tile line into the lake, which is one of the state’s largest and part of the Iowa Great Lakes resort area.
The wastewater was entering the water at the southwest corner of Big Spirit Lake. The sewage district has applied lime to the ground to kill bacteria. The Spirit Lake water supply was notified, though its processes would kill any bacteria.
Fish from the lake are safe to eat if properly cooked. I would not go swimming there anytime soon. I would also avoid the northern beaches on East Okoboji. The spill was reportedly only gray water and not solid waste.
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