Water pollution on a Class "A" poconos stream?

[NJAngler]

Check out these pictures taken by another angler:

This is the source of the brown goo: a sewage treatment plant outflow

This is the stream about a half mile downstream:

I sent the pics to the PFBC so we'll see what they think. No dead fish were seen but this cannot be normal.

NJA

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Icky!

 

[wetnet]

What in the world would make you think that this is a waste water treatment plant discharge? Brown water? What makes it a treatment plant discharge? Do you have any facts? Be careful not to blame the people that actually care about what they discharge to the stream.

 

[troutbert]

Looks like raw sewage.

I recommend also reporting it at the DEP number, which is supposed to be monitered full time.

800-541-2050

If you emailed to someone at the PFBC, probably no one will read it until Monday morning.

 

[NJAngler]

What in the world would make you think that this is a waste water treatment plant discharge?

a) there's a park STP about 50 feet to right of the picture and b) according to the angler who took the pics, its coming out of a pipe from the STP. I think it pretty much narrows it down don't you?

 

[SBecker]

I wish you well on this, but I have had a hard time trying to get someone to come check on grey water discharge on the Po. You call one agency, they tell you to call another, then they tell you to call another. Big circle jerk. I think I have talked to 3 or 4 guys who have called on the same matter and I have yet to get it resolved. O well, I am sure the patrons of RiverWalcks enjoy the smell.

 

[turkey]

NJAngler wrote:

I sent the pics to the PFBC so we'll see what they think. No dead fish were seen but this cannot be normal.

NJA

the fish don't always die from the sewage, but the nutrient loading causes a blooming of plant matter, that in turn uses up all the O2 in the water and the fish suffocate. I hope that this gets resolved....if thats what it is.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

SBecker wrote:
I wish you well on this, but I have had a hard time trying to get someone to come check on grey water discharge on the Po. You call one agency, they tell you to call another, then they tell you to call another. Big circle jerk. I think I have talked to 3 or 4 guys who have called on the same matter and I have yet to get it resolved. O well, I am sure the patrons of RiverWalcks enjoy the smell.

Over a decade ago, that pipe wasn't covered by those bushes. You could hear a gurgling noise coming from the pipe, and then PLOP.

Are you hungry for a chimichanga yet? :-o

 

[trout_stalker]

Are you hungry for a chimichanga yet?

Hilarious!

 

[troutbert]

Any news? Did you hear back?

It would be interesting to know the stream and source of pollution.

 

[wetnet]

NJAngler wrote:

What in the world would make you think that this is a waste water treatment plant discharge?

a) there's a park STP about 50 feet to right of the picture and b) according to the angler who took the pics, its coming out of a pipe from the STP. I think it pretty much narrows it down don't you?

It far from narrows it down. Just the opposite. Sewage treatment plants use under stream diffusers not pipes to discharge. Pipes are generally from storm water runoff to direct flows. The brown red color is typical from construction, the color after looks like something else..could be maybe from modified (The grey pack shale stuff they use on driveways)or something else. Not to say that if under flood conditions if a whole plant was flooded that you wouldn't see allot of turbidity. It would be very unusual to see discharge from what is shown from the pics to be from a WWTP. If a plant let loose you'd smell it.

Discharge from wastewater treatment plants would show up in algae blooms and in the worst case a fish kill. Not just some mucky water.

 

[Chaz]

Please tell me it's not Hickory Run SP. Or Pocono SP.

 

[afishinado]

NJAngler wrote:

What in the world would make you think that this is a waste water treatment plant discharge?

a) there's a park STP about 50 feet to right of the picture and b) according to the angler who took the pics, its coming out of a pipe from the STP. I think it pretty much narrows it down don't you?

NJAngler,

Since it's a Class A and a State Park, I don't think it would be considered "spot "burning" if you told the name of the stream so folks could look out for any problems.

 

[sandfly]

send the pics to local newspaper and tell them, once it gets out in print people will want to know and then the authorities will get involved.

 

[jjsjigs]

*Profound statement by sandfly*

I pretty much agree. Once the press gets involved the squeaky wheel gets the grease.