Discharge from a wastewater plant has health officials cautioning people to stay out of a Northwest Arkansas river after tests revealed elevated levels of a bacteria known to cause intense discomfort.
The Arkansas Department of Health said Thursday that portions of the White River in Washington County should be avoided after the agency found high levels of E. Coli along a 3.4-mile area.
The affected area stretches from the Dye Creek Bridge in West Fork and downstream to the Baptist Ford Bridge on South Main Street in Greenland.
Health officials said people should avoid direct contact with the water.
They faulted the contamination on discharge from the West Fork wastewater treatment plant.
E. Coli infections can lead to several discomforting symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea and urinary tract infections. Most people recover after a few days, but it can lead to life-threatening kidney failure in older adults and small children, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The advisory remains in effect until the levels return below the action limit while local and state agencies continue monitoring the river, the health department said.