Raw sewage leaking from a wastewater treatment lagoon in Madison County near the Big Black River forced the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to issue a water contact advisory Wednesday for a segment of the Big Black River in Madison and Hinds counties.

The advisory extends from where the river intersects Burnt Corn Creek just above a railroad crossing near Kearney Park in Flora to the intersection of the river with I-20 in the Edwards and Flowers area east of the Warren County line.

According to information from MDEQ, the advisory was issued because a sewage pipe at the West Madison Utility District’s lagoon near Kearney Park in Flora broke, allowing the release of untreated wastewater into the river.

The utility district was working on repairs, according to MDEQ, but water quality monitoring done by state environmental officials Wednesday indicated the water in the river could be unsafe for human contact or consumption.

MDEQ recommends people avoid water contact such as swimming, wading, and fishing. People should also avoid eating fish or anything else taken from these waters until further notice.

MDEQ officials will continue to monitor the water quality in the river and will revise the advisory as needed, according to a press release announcing the advisory.

More information will be provided online as it becomes available.