DHHS: Dan River no longer poses health risk for recreational use

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The Dan River has been declared clean enough for recreational use by state health officials.

It comes five months after health advisories were put in place due to a coal ash spill which dumped an estimated 39,000 tons of coal ash into the river near Eden.

New test results show contamination levels no longer pose a health risk.

Duke Energy spent weeks cleaning up the coal ash sediment by sucking it off the bottom of the river and dumping it in a landfill in Person County.

DHHS officials say eating fish and shellfish from the Dan River could still pose a risk, however.

They say testing will continue.

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