Ducey sending National Guard to help with Nogales flooding
Aug 4, 2017, 3:32 PM
(Screenshot)
(Screenshot)
PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey activated the National Guard on Friday to increase the resources on hand after Nogales was hit hard by monsoon-related flooding.
“My sincere thanks goes out to the emergency response teams who have been working day and night, often dealing with extreme conditions, to respond to these floods and ensure the safety of Arizona citizens,” Ducey said in a release.
The area around Nogales was hit hard by monsoon storms between July 23 and July 25, so much so that a line that carries wastewater from Mexico into the United States for treatment ruptured.
The wastewater instead flowed into the Nogales Wash. It was contaminated with excessive levels of E. coli.
Ducey declared a state of emergency on July 27 to get more resources into the area.
On Tuesday, Santa Cruz County officials said sewage was no longer spilling from the pipeline into the wash.
Authorities said workers installed a temporary pipeline around the damaged section of the International Outfall Interceptor, diverting the sewage to a treatment plant.
Residents were told to keep out of the Santa Cruz River and livestock owners should keep their animals away. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is continuing daily testing of the water.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
