Emergency Information

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and local officials confirmed an intermittent sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) in a tunnel under the international border, which transports stormwater from Nogales, Sonora to Nogales, Arizona. A SSO is a release of untreated wastewater and contains raw sewage.  

When flowing, the SSO originates from Nogales, Sonora and is exiting the tunnel into the Nogales Wash about one mile north of the international border. Depending on volume of flow and frequency, the SSO could reach the Santa Cruz River.

ADEQ urges people to avoid these areas. This recommendation is based on potential health risks to people and animals from exposure to raw sewage in the SSO. Untreated sewage carries pathogens that pose a risk to human health and the environment. People and animals that come into contact with untreated sewage are at risk of infection from those pathogens.

The U.S. and Mexico sections of the International Boundary Water Commission (IBWC) are in contact with the utility in Nogales, Sonora to assess the cause of the SSO. ADEQ continues to monitor the situation and is also in contact with IBWC, the utility in Nogales, Sonora, the City of Nogales, Arizona and the Santa Cruz County Health Department.

Recommended Actions:

• Avoid contact with the water in this area, including wading, drinking and washing. If you have contact with the water, rinse using soap and clean water immediately.
• If you think that your health or that of your pet or livestock has been affected from exposure to raw sewage, seek medical treatment immediately. Be sure to tell the medical professional about contact with the water. Also, make sure to advise your local county public health department about the exposure details.
• Take care that pets and livestock do not drink potentially affected water. Pets can be especially susceptible because they tend to drink while in the water and lick their fur after. Rinse pets using soap and clean water.

For more information, visit the resources below:

• Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Water Quality Division | View >
• Report an Environmental Complaint to ADEQ | View >
• U.S. EPA Sanitary Sewer Overflows | View >
• Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency | View >
• About ADEQ
• Under the Environmental Quality Act of 1986, the Arizona State Legislature established the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality in 1987 as the state agency for protecting and enhancing public health and the environment of Arizona. For more information, visit azdeq.gov.
• ADEQ will take reasonable measures to provide access to department services to individuals with limited ability to speak, write or understand English and/or to those with disabilities. Requests for language interpretation, ASL interpretation, CART captioning services or disability accommodations must be made at least 48 hours in advance by contacting Ian Bingham, Title VI Nondiscrimination Coordinator at 602-771-4322 or [email protected]. Teleprinter services are available by calling 7-1-1 at least 48 hours in advance to make necessary arrangements.
• ADEQ tomará las medidas razonables para proveer acceso a los servicios del departamento a personas con capacidad limitada para hablar, escribir o entender inglés y / o para personas con discapacidades. Las solicitudes de servicios de interpretación de idiomas, interpretación ASL, subtitulados de CART, o adaptaciones por discapacidad deben realizarse con al menos 48 horas de anticipación contactando a Ian Bingham, Coordinador de Anti-Discriminación del Título VI al 
  
  602-771-4322 o [email protected]. Los servicios de teleimpresores están disponibles llamando al 7-1-1 con al menos 48 horas de anticipación para hacer los arreglos necesarios.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) issued a Water Quality Advisory on January 11, 2019 for the unpermitted discharge of recycled water from Johnson Utilities’ Pecan Water Reclamation Plant into Queen Creek (the wash) in the San Tan Valley area. EPCOR notified ADEQ that the discharge has stopped and this advisory is no longer in effect.

EPCOR estimates a total release of 15.36 million gallons between January 9 and 17, 2019. There was no impact to Johnson Utilities’ drinking water systems and there was NOT a release of untreated sewage into the environment.

This advisory was limited to the unpermitted discharge of recycled water into Queen Creek. EPCOR said additional releases are possible if there is heavy and/or extended wet weather in the area. Recycled water is typically used for non-potable applications, including for irrigation of golf courses and common areas within a community or in ponds at the facility to recharge the aquifer. The use of recycled water in a community is indicated by purple pipes and signage cautioning against contact with standing water and/or to not drink. If you have contact with standing water, wash hands thoroughly. ADEQ confirmed samples taken in January 2019 inside the plant meet water quality standards for A+ effluent.

A permitted discharge of this kind would be required to do additional monitoring for surface water quality standards as determined by an Arizona Pollution Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) permit. ADEQ gathered water samples to test for surface water quality standards when an inspector observed the on-going release on Friday, January 11, 2019. Preliminary results of the samples collected at the pipe discharging water into Queen Creek show it is meeting E. coli surface water quality standards for both full and partial body contact. Further results regarding nitrogen and other contaminants will be available within the coming weeks. E. coli is naturally occurring and most strains are not harmful to humans. Surface water quality standards allow a certain level of E. coli that would be expected from natural sources.

The unpermitted discharge is due to an exceedance of recharge capacity of the Pecan Water Reclamation Plant. The plant is located at 38539 N Gantzel Rd in San Tan Valley. To manage future flows, EPCOR continues working to increase recycled water capacity for local irrigation districts and farmers. EPCOR was appointed by the Arizona Corporation Commission as the interim manager for Johnson Utilities in August 2018.

Contact

ADEQ Public Information Officer | 602-771-2215 (office) | 602-540-8072 (cell) | E-mail [email protected]

The combination of a winter holiday weekend and recent snow can be a magnet for those looking to ski, sled or toss a few snowballs.

If you’re heading to play in the snow, be ready for the possibility that you’ll see heavy traffic and delays, especially on the trip home, in popular areas such as US 180 northwest of Flagstaff.

Leave prepared to spend more time than you may expect in winter weather. The Arizona Department of Transportation’s tips for winter driving in Arizona’s high country, available at azdot.gov/KnowSnow, include dressing for the cold and packing coats, blankets, gloves and scarves. Make sure you have a fully charged cellphone and plenty of water and snacks, and keep your tank half to three-quarters full at all times.

Highway shoulders are for emergencies only, so resist the temptation to stop there to play in the snow. Exit highways and park in designated areas. Among the reasons: Plows throw snow and ice far from the roadway, other drivers may be distracted by your vehicle and first responders may need to use the shoulder.

Those heading to snow-play sites along US 180 may want to consider making an earlier start home, as on busy days traffic builds toward Flagstaff throughout the afternoon. When they reach Flagstaff, drivers taking Interstate 17 south can save time by following a marked alternate route to Interstate 40 at Butler Avenue, via Switzer Canyon Road and Route 66, and then heading west to I-17. A map of this route is available at FlagstaffArizona.org (follow the Winter Recreation link).

Information on designated snow-play areas around Flagstaff is available at FlagstaffArizona.org (follow the Winter Recreation link) or by calling 1.844.256.SNOW.

The free ADOT Alerts app, available for iOS and Android devices at ADOTAlerts.com, will notify users about weather-related delays and closures. In addition, it will alert those along US 180 if delays back to Flagstaff appear likely.

For the latest highway conditions around the state, visit ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov or call 511. ADOT’s accounts on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) and Facebook (facebook.com/AZDOT) are excellent sources of information and interaction.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) issued a Water Quality Advisory on January 11, 2019 for the unpermitted discharge of recycled water from Johnson Utilities’ Pecan Water Reclamation Plant into Queen Creek in the San Tan Valley area. There is no impact to Johnson Utilities’ drinking water systems and there has NOT been a release of untreated sewage into the environment.

EPCOR notified ADEQ of a spill of treated recycled water on January 6, 2019 and an impending controlled release on January 7, 2019. ADEQ sent an inspector to the facility on Friday, January 11, 2019 to better assess the situation before the upcoming weekend. Upon arrival at the facility, an inspector observed an on-going release into Queen Creek and gathered water samples for testing. On January 15, 2019, EPCOR confirmed the release would continue intermittently with wet weather in the area. EPCOR estimates a total release of 11.75 million gallons as of the afternoon of January 15, 2019.

Preliminary results of the samples collected at the pipe discharging water into Queen Creek show it is meeting E. coli surface water quality standards for both full and partial body contact. Further results regarding nitrogen and other contaminants will be available within a week. E. coli is naturally occurring and most strains are not harmful to humans. Surface water quality standards allow a certain level of E. coli that would be expected from natural sources.

Recommended Actions:

• Avoid contact with standing water in this area. Do not allow people or pets to drink this water. In the event of contact, thoroughly wash with soap and clean water as soon as possible.
• Contact a medical professional if you have any questions or show symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea after coming in contact with the water.

This advisory is limited to the unpermitted discharge of recycled water into Queen Creek. ADEQ will continue to monitor the situation. Recycled water is typically used for non-potable applications, including for irrigation of golf courses and common areas within a community or in ponds at the facility to recharge the aquifer. The use of recycled water in a community is indicated by purple pipes and signage cautioning against contact with standing water. ADEQ confirmed with EPCOR samples taken in January 2019 inside the plant meet water quality standards for A+ effluent.

The unpermitted discharge is due to an exceedance of recharge capacity of the Pecan Water Reclamation Plant. The plant is located at 38539 N Gantzel Rd in San Tan Valley. To manage future flows, EPCOR is working to increase recycled water capacity for local irrigation districts and farmers. EPCOR was appointed by the Arizona Corporation Commission as the interim manager for Johnson Utilities in August 2018.

Contact

ADEQ Public Information Officer | 602-771-2215 (office) | 602-540-8072 (cell) | [email protected]

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is issuing a Water Quality Advisory for the unpermitted discharge of recycled water into Queen Creek in the San Tan Valley area. Please avoid contact with the water in this area.

ADEQ is making this recommendation because a discharge of recycled water into Queen Creek occurred from the Pecan Water Reclamation Plant. Recycled water is treated but is not required to meet surface water quality standards associated with full or partial body contact and this area of Queen Creek has been previously exposed to sewer overflows. People and animals exposed to water in this environment are at risk of infection from microorganisms associated with human waste. 

Recycled water is typically used for non-potable applications, including for irrigation of golf courses and common areas within a community or in ponds at the facility to recharge the aquifer. The use of recycled water in a community is indicated by purple pipes and signage.

Recommended Actions:

• Avoid contact with the water in this area. Do not allow people or pets to drink this water, wade through it or use it for washing. In the event of contact, thoroughly wash with soap and clean water as soon as possible.
• Contact a medical professional if you have any questions or show symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea.

This advisory will remain in effect until the discharge is stopped. ADEQ will lift the advisory by issuing an additional notice and contacting local officials.

The unpermitted discharge is due to high volume that exceeded the capacity of the Pecan Water Reclamation Plant to treat and process wastewater. The plant is located at 38539 N Gantzel Rd in San Tan Valley. The high volume may be due to increased residential use from homes occupied normally only during the cooler months and decreased evaporation due to recent cool, wet weather.

EPCOR was appointed by the Arizona Corporation Commission as the interim manager for Johnson Utilities in August 2018. EPCOR is working to manage flows. This discharge may prevent an accidental release of untreated wastewater elsewhere in the system. ADEQ is assessing the discharge.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is issuing a High Pollution Advisory (HPA) for fine particulate matter (PM-2.5) effective Jan. 1, 2019, in Maricopa County. PM-2.5 is made up of small particles (soot) found in smoke. ADEQ recommends that people limit outdoor activity while the HPA is in effect, especially children and adults with respiratory problems.

Access the latest air quality forecast information at:

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is issuing a High Pollution Advisory (HPA) for fine particulate matter (PM-2.5) effective Dec. 31 in Maricopa County. PM-2.5 is made up of small particles (soot) found in smoke. ADEQ recommends that people limit outdoor activity while the HPA is in effect, especially children and adults with respiratory problems.

Access the latest air quality forecast information at: