Looks like we’re all good.

I wouldn’t plan on drinking water from the ground, but we’re not all going to die from driving by.

It’s rust.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) surface water and soil test results of orange water and soil in the area surrounding the former Sheldon Mine in Walker, Arizona, indicate the orange coloration is due to naturally-occurring iron.

As iron is exposed to air, it forms iron oxide, which is orange or red in color. Based on the heavily mineralized geology in this former mining district, ADEQ tested the samples (surface water and soil) for metals (barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, silver, iron), arsenic, cyanide, and pH. Test results confirm that surface water and soil in the area do not pose an immediate threat to public health and that no remediation activities are warranted.

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Surface Water Results: ADEQ test results show that water in the nearby creek met applicable state surface water quality standards that protect people’s health if they recreate in the creek. For the orange water samples taken prior to reaching the creek, most elements met the standards; the elements that measured higher than the standards were arsenic and lead. The orange water is also weakly acidic, which is common in this area due to the geology and consistent with data from other streams in the Bradshaw Mountains.

Soil Results: ADEQ’s soil test results show all elements were well below the most conservative state cleanup standards, which are for residential areas, with the exception of arsenic. The arsenic results are consistent with levels that naturally occur in this highly mineralized area and across Arizona, do not present a concern for public health, and do not warrant cleanup action.

As a precautionary measure, ADEQ continues to advise people near the Sheldon Mine to avoid contact with orange water and orange stained soil in the area.

Read the entire article at: https://www.allaboutarizonanews.com