Thursday, August 7, 2008

Dropping a Deuce: Port-a-Potty Emptied into Four Mile Run Again

Yuck:
Arlington County officials are warning residents to stay out of Four Mile Run Stream because it has been contaminated with waste from a portable toilet for the second time in as many weeks.

The waste was dumped into a storm drain and flowed into the stream near Interstate 66 and Westover and Bon Air parks, officials said. A resident reported the spill about 8:30 this morning. [...]

Officials believe the illegal dumping is connected to a similar incident that occurred July 31. The county also had advised residents to avoid the water after that spill, but lifted the advisory Tuesday after clean-up, days of stream flow and a rainstorm helped flush away bacteria from the spill.

Park officials and Arlington fire officials are investigating.

I don't think most people realize Arlington's storm drains often flow straight into our local waterways with no treatment. Hopefully Arlington authorities can catch who's responsible -- it's our tax dollars that are paying to clean up these messes.

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