(ANGOLA) - The City of Angola is warning residents that heavy rain may have triggered a combined sewer overflow, meaning storm water and sanitary sewage could be entering waterways downstream of the wastewater treatment plant.
The public notice says long periods of rainfall or snowmelt can overload portions of the city's combined sewer system and cause wastewater pollution to be present in nearby waters for several days.
City officials are warning people not to swim, wade in, or ingest water downstream of the wastewater plant, saying exposure could cause illness.
The notice says bacteria levels typically return to normal within 72 hours after an overflow event, at which point normal recreational use can resume.
The city says a second notice is expected within 24 hours with event-specific details, including rainfall totals, overflow timing and the total volume released.