Questions raised over Jordan River water quality

A complaint filed with the IU Physical Plant has brought attention to the quality of water in the Jordan River.\nBecause the usual clear appearance of the water looked more like a brown, milky consistency Wednesday afternoon graduate student Linda Allen said she decided to write a letter to complain about the water condition. Dan Derheimer, hazardous materials manager with the office of enviromental management, said upon receiving the complaint he immediately went out to the north fork of the river, in front of the Indiana Memorial Union, to inspect the situation at about 4 p.m. Wednesday. \nHe said the darkening of the water was a result of the construction by the business school, which caused a limestone sediment run-off that was pumped directly into the river.\n"The pollution resulted from the pumping being performed by Wilhelm Construction," Derheimer said. "As soon as we found out about it, we told them to stop pumping and reported it to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management."\nDan Arnold, superintendent of Wilhelm Construction, declined to comment. \nIU's response was what Allen said she wanted. She described the water as looking heavily polluted with sediments, resembling a light colored coffee.\n"I was trying to bring it to (IU's) attention to see that some corrective action was taken," she said. "I understand that it is the construction firm's responsibility, but the fact that this firm works for the University makes the University, to some degree, responsible."\nMike Jenson, environmental compliance coordinator, responded to Allen's letter via e-mail, writing that Wilhem was primarily responsible for the sediment, which involved groundwater rather than stormwater.\n"We are working with them to ensure that it does not happen in the future," he said. "Indiana University is committed to working with those who contract with it to minimize the effects of stormwater runoff at construction sites on campus regardless of their size and has begun including detailed language in our contracts related to that topic."\nTim Coulom, spokesman for IDEM, said they have not received notification of a complaint, but would take action as soon as notified.\nDerheimer said he expected the water to clear up a few days after the pumping stopped.