San Pedro River Negative For Contamination After Mine Spill

By Steve Shadley
Published: Monday, October 6, 2014 - 6:05am
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Water samples taken from Arizona’s San Pedro River don’t show any signs of contamination following a potential spill at a copper mine in Mexico.

The mine owners say a recent hurricane may have sent chemicals or heavy metals into the river.

Testing by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality concludes that water quality in the San Pedro River is normal. 

DEQ Water Quality Division Director Mike Fulton said the river seems to be free of any impurities.

“Our message is that we don’t see indications that the river has  been impacted and that any special consideration be taken by anybody in the U.S. based on this potential release," Fulton said.

But public health officials in Mexico are still testing water in the San Pedro south of the border and results are expected sometime this week. 

After Hurrican Odile hit the Mexican state of Sonora last month, officials with the copper mine near the town of Cananea reported discoloration of the river water.