River gets bill of health after April sewage spill

By DAVID RYAN, Register Staff Writer

County officials say the Napa River between Lincoln Avenue and Trancas Street is back to its old self again after a sewage spill fouled waters there two weeks ago.

Jill Pahl, acting director of environmental health, said officials removed signs warning away residents from the river either Wednesday or Thursday, after lab samples taken from the river on Monday showed the river's bacteria levels were normal gain.

"It's as clean as it gets," she said.

Normally, other contamination sources find their way into the water. Tests showed a form of bacteria that serves as an indicator for more harmful life forms has dropped off, signaling the river may be safe.

County sanitation and environmental health officials said an estimated 12,000 gallon sewage spill on April 19 contaminated the river.

An eight-inch sewer line south of Hagen Road at Silverado Trail broke sometime the that morning, but crews were able to divert sewage flows so that another 11,000 gallons of raw sewage didn't make it into the river before a bypass line was created.

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