EPA To Build Treatment Plant For Gold King Mine

By Grace Hood
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<p>(Brennan Linsley/AP)</p>
<p>Water flows through a series of retention ponds built to contain and filter out heavy metals and chemicals from the Gold King mine wastewater accident, in the spillway about 1/4 mile downstream from the mine, outside Silverton, Colo., Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015.</p>
Photo: Gold King Mine Settling Ponds, Aug. 12, 2015 (AP)
Water flows through a series of retention ponds built to contain and filter out heavy metals and chemicals from the Gold King mine wastewater accident, in the spillway about 1/4 mile downstream from the mine, outside Silverton, Colo., Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015.

The purpose of the system is to treat and reduce heavy metals emitted from the Gold King Mine complex. Right now the EPA is collecting wastewater in ponds, treating it, and releasing into the Animas River.

“This is more of a system to capture the total volume to carry it through the winter," said Mathy Stanislaus with the Environmental Protection Agency.

The subcontract for treatment includes $1.78 million for mobilization and system install, and $20,000 per week for operations. The system will treat about 550 gallons of water per minute.

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