RIO RICO, Ariz. (AP) - The Latest on a sewage pipeline break at the Arizona-Mexico border(all times local):
4:26 p.m.
Santa Cruz County said Thursday that tested samples found excessive E. coli levels in water near a breach in an international pipeline that carries untreated sewage from Mexico into Arizona.
Officials say testing from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality found E. coli in water below and above the broken part of the International Outfall Interceptor.
County authorities discovered the break in the pipe on Tuesday following heavy rains that may have put too much pressure on it.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has declared a state of emergency and has allocated $200,000 in general fund money. The city of Nogales, which also declared a state of emergency, says the estimated cost of repairs is $5 million.
The breach was discovered in a sparsely populated area north of Rio Rico, Arizona.
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12:12 p.m.
Arizona Sen. John McCain is urging an international water commission to act quickly in repairing a broken sewage pipe that runs from Mexico to Arizona and has spilled into a wash in the American side of the border.
But the International Boundary and Water Commission says it hasn’t verified that there’s a leak and that the wastewater plant that the pipe leads to is receiving normal flows.
Authorities in Santa Cruz County say they noticed a break in a pipeline during an inspection on Tuesday. They say the pipe, also known as the International Outfall Interceptor, has a breach in a sparsely populated area north of the international border.
The county says it’s closely monitoring the pipe break and running tests on wash contamination that should be ready by Thursday afternoon.
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