Authorities in Dallas have closed the White Rock Lake, in the north of the city, to leisure users after a contractor accidentally ruptured a sewage main, leading to around 3.8 million litres of sewage entering the White Rock Creek, which feeds into the lake. The sewage has so far been prevented from entering the lake by a series of booms across the creek, but the lake has been closed to users as a precaution, and it is unclear how the sewage will be recovered.
Leisure boats sitting unused on White Rock Lake in Dallas following a sewage spill. CBS DFW.
As well as the obvious dangers to health presented by sewage, which is
likely to contain a variety of Bacteria and other micro-organisms
harmful to Human health, sewage provides a source of nutrients which can
lead to eutrophication and the
rapid growth of blooms of Algae, Bacteria or other micro-organisms,
which absorb oxygen from the water leading Fish and other aquatic
organisms to asphyxiate.
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