Sewage overflow puts halt to recreation on Pearl River

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Recent test of creeks running into the Pearl River in Jackson have shown an unacceptable amount of sewage.

There is now a No Contact Warning for creeks in the Capital City and on the Pearl River down to Byram.

Christopher Lockhart owner of Capital City Kayak Adventures moved his river tour business off the Pearl waters over a year ago.

13 creeks in Jackson that flow into the river are now flowing with sewage.

Christopher Lockhart said, “With all the Water Contact Advisories coming from upstream coming up from up river from White Oak Creek and all the other tributaries that run through the city I can’t get in good conscious, the health risk to put those people out there.”

The kayak rentals are still ongoing in the oxbow a of Crystal Lake. He and his customers hope to get back on the main river one day to see all that Mississippi’s nature has to offer.

Molly Gregory and her children spent the morning kayaking. They live in Belhaven and the Pearl River is their backyard.

Molly Gregory said, “We want to see people enjoy the waters around Jackson as much as possible and see those waters preserved.”

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality says the city of Jackson has an aging infrastructure which is the cause of the wastewater overflows.

They are under a federal consent decree to make significant upgrades to that system.

Residents are hoping that happens sooner than later.

Copyright 2020 WLBT. All rights reserved.