Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Friday, October 13, 2006
Contact: Reuben Varghese 703-228-5588 (voice) 703-228-4611(TTY)
Arlington Residents Cautioned to Avoid Upper Long Branch, Four Mile Run
County officials take steps following Fairfax County Sewage Spill
ARLINGTON, Va – As a precautionary measure, Arlington County health authorities are advising residents to avoid the waters of Upper Long Branch and Four Mile Run, due to a sewage spill reported Thursday night by Fairfax County authorities.
Arlington County Alerts Residents
Arlington County officials took immediate action upon learning of the spill. The County issued an Arlington Alert to subscribers as a cautionary measure. Arlington Public Health also alerted TV and radio stations, informing them of the accident and advising residents to keep away from the affected waters until further notice, to minimize the health risk.
The County has also posted signs along Upper Long Branch and Four Mile Run and posted news of the spillage on its Web site.
All residents are advised not to fish in or have any contact with the waters – including wading or swimming – until further notice. Parents are advised to keep children and pets away from the streams. Avoiding human and pet contact with these waters will help to eliminate the risk of exposure to untreated sewage from this spill.
The advisory to avoid all contact is considered an extra precaution to allow the effect of the sewage spill to be diminished by natural flushing of the streams.
NOTE: residents are reminded that stream water can contain microorganisms that can make people sick, whether the stream is located in an urban area or in the middle of a forest. Even after the spillage is naturally flushed from the streams, the County's normal precautions for safe use of streams apply. You can find information and safety tips on Arlington streams on the Web site of the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services.
The recreational areas affected include the following parks adjacent to the streams: Glencarlyn; Barcroft; Jennie Dean; Four Mile Run (including areas in Alexandria across from Four Mile Run Park); and the Glencarlyn and Shirlington Community Canine areas.
Background
Fairfax County advised Arlington County Thursday night that a broken pipe caused untreated sewage to be released near Upper Long Branch, which empties into Four Mile Run in Glencarlyn Park. Preliminary estimates indicate that less than 15,000 gallons of sewage was spilled with an unknown, but smaller, amount reaching Upper Long Branch.
The discharge is expected to affect waters all the way to the Potomac, including Four Mile Run. Additional information about the spill can be found by contacting Fairfax authorities at (703) 324-3189.
Arlington residents with questions or concerns over the weekend can call 703-228-3613.
Sign up for Arlington Alert
Now is a good time to sign up for Arlington Alert, a free service that sends emergency text messages to mobile devices and e-mail accounts.
Arlington, Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world - including the Pentagon - Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.
