4 Spots Along West/Rhode Rivers Unsafe to Swim

The following post was submitted by West/Rhode Riverkeeper and County Councilman Chris Trumbauer (D-6th District). The post focuses on the bacteria levels found in local waterways.

Hi everybody, 

It was a busy weekend on the waters this week. Lots of boaters out and about trying to beat the heat. Unfortunately, our monitoring results recorded four sites with bacteria levels above the EPA single test limit for safe swimming. 

Three of the sites were in the Rhode River: Holly Hills, Flat Island, and Camp Letts. The other site was Westelee in West River near Shady Side. Bacteria can come from runoff, illegal boat discharge, pet or animal waste (including waterfowl), and septic or sewer leaks. There was no significant rainfall prior to sampling, so runoff is not likely the culprit.
 
To see the full results of this week's sampling, click here. 

Only one week away! We are excited to announce the launch of the Waterkeeper Swim Guide in our area next week on July 26, which is Swimmable Action Day. Swim Guide is a tool which can be viewed online, or on your mobile device.

It is a simple way to see the current bacteria results for your favorite swimming holes in the West and Rhode Rivers—and beyond!

Many Waterkeeper groups across the country are now reporting their data using Swim Guide. See www.theswimguide.org for a preview. Stay tuned for more information soon!

For general information about the risks of swimming and other human health issues, see our one-page sheet on the subject by clicking here. You can also see our water quality maps generated from our weekly sampling on our website. Click here to check them out! 

Thanks for staying informed about water quality on our rivers.