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More Information
E-Coli and other pollutants far exceed EPA safety guidelines --recent water tests confirm.
For most of this year, the Lookout Mountain Heritage Alliance and other concerned citizens have been monitoring the water quality of the West Fork of Little River in Mentone. This monitoring is largely due to the construction of 4 industrial sized chicken farms over a tributary to the Little River. The runoff from these plants has been polluting the West Fork of Little River for at least the previous 10 months.
In April, neighbors to the farms filed suit and the Dekalb County Circuit Court found that the run-off is a nuisance. Unsafe levels of pollution continue to be discharged from the plant into Little River. "
The following are the water test results from Guardian Labs in Birmingham. A breakdown of these results is as follows. In short, the tests for the West Fork of Little River show the contamination exceeds EPA guidelines for drinking and swimming.
July 5th Water Tests Sample 001
|
EPA Safe Limit for drinking |
EPA Safe Limit for Swimming |
Test Results |
Sample/Location |
Number of times sample exceeds limit for safe drinking water. |
Number of times sample exceeds limit for swimming |
| E-Coli |
0 |
<2000 col/100 NTus |
20,000 col/100 ML |
Sample 001/ Mouth of Harrison Creek |
20,000 |
10 |
| Nitrogen |
<10 |
<20 |
1.83 mg /L |
Sample 001/ Mouth of Harrison Creek |
.18 |
.09 |
| Tirbudity |
Not Toxic to humans but over 50/NTU's means water quality is impaired. |
Not Toxic to humans but over 50/NTU's means water quality is impaired. |
1,450 |
Sample 001 / Mouth of Harrison Creek |
29 |
29 |
| Arsenic |
0.010 mg/L |
N/A |
0.010 mg/L |
Sample 001 / Mouth of Harrison Creek |
Maximum Safe Limit |
** |
| Ammonia Nitrate |
3 MG/L |
|
.51 |
Sample ID B2-3 |
.3 |
** |
** Still researching limit for surface water contact
Complete Water Test (PDF Format)
Click to enlarge Topo Map (courtesy Topozone)
February Run off and Pollution
 
July 5th
 
July 9th
 
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