A recent fire at a storage warehouse in South Hill has led the Virginia Department of Health to issue recreational water and fish consumption advisories in response.
The fire occurred at the Nutrien Ag Solutions facility at 501 W. Danville St. on July 6.
Water used to fight the fire was contaminated with chemicals from the facility and washed into two watersheds. The water entered Dockery and Mountain creeks and flows downstream to the Meherrin and Roanoke (Lake Gaston) rivers.
DWR encourages all fishing, boating, and recreation enthusiasts to avoid Dockery and Mountain creeks as well as the Meherrin River from its confluence with Mountain Creek above the Chaptico Road (Route 637) bridge to the North Carolina state line and the Roanoke River (Lake Gaston) from its confluence with Miles Creek at the Route 1 bridge to the North Carolina state line.
VDH said people should avoid recreational water activities including swimming, wading, tubing, canoeing, kayaking and boating. VDH also warns consumers not to consume any fish harvested from the waterways until further notice.
VDH has placed advisory signage at all public boat launches on the affected waterways.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Department of Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Nutrien Ag Solutions, the Town of South Hill and a team of contractors are on site working to minimize, monitor and assess impacts from the fire.
Air monitoring continues at the site of the fire with no concerns to date.
For more information on the incident and cleanup efforts, visit the incident webpage.
VDH recommendations
- Avoid contact with the waterbodies noted and observe advisory signage posted at waterbody access points
- Avoid any area of the waterbody where there is water with a foul or chemical odor, dead or dying fish, or discolored water
- Promptly wash skin with soap and water if you cannot avoid contact with water in the vicinity
- Rinse or wash items that come into contact with the water, including clothing, fishing gear, life vests, ropes and paddles
- Seek medical care and notify your practitioner of the waterbody exposure if you experience adverse health effects after contact with the water
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Crystal Graham
