NASHVILLE, Tenn. — People should avoid all bodies of water affected by extreme flooding in upper East Tennessee, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation warned Wednesday.
It issued a temporary water contact advisory telling people to avoid surface waters like the Nolichucky, French Broad, Pigeon, Doe and Watauga rivers. The department said wastewater treatment plants were compromised by the flooding and temporarily could not treat sewage before it enters the water.
The department also said sewer lines may have been severed or damaged, letting raw sewage enter streams. Individual septic systems could also be compromised across the region, letting sewage enter main waterways.
The environment department also said while it did not have specific water quality data showing the extent of sewage in main waterways, it issued the advisory out of an abundance of caution. When it gets safer, the department said it plans to resume monitoring the water quality in the affected waterways.
In general, it said floodwaters can carry bacteria and should be avoided. Anyone who comes into contact with floodwater should wash it off as soon as with soap and clean water.
