News Release Regarding High Bacteria Counts
Link to news release
NEWS RELEASE: StreamWatch and Rivanna Conservation Society – September 15, 2014
On September 9, StreamWatch bacterial monitoring of Lodge Creek, near Jefferson Park Avenue in Charlottesville, revealed high coliform bacterial counts – six times greater than the state standard for clean water. Water samples have registered high bacteria counts for three consecutive months, July through September, at this location.
StreamWatch and the Rivanna Conservation Society (RCS) have alerted the City of Charlottesville and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to these findings. According to RCS Board Chair Chris Mantle, “RCS is heavily engaged in patrolling the Rivanna with its River Stewards and River Guardians programs. We will focus our attention on identifying the source of the problem and will work closely with local officials, with the expectation that local officials and property owners will soon resolve this problem.” At the same time, StreamWatch will continue sampling to monitor changes in water quality.
Bacteria is a normal occurrence in rivers, streams and lakes. High levels of bacteria are a public health concern as gastrointestinal illnesses or skin infections can occur when people are exposed to contaminated water. Elevated levels of bacteria often occur after rains, as pollution from land is washed into waterways. Common sources are pet, livestock and wildlife waste as well as poorly or untreated sewage. Information regarding public safety and health concerns associated with bacteria and recreation can be found on the Virginia Department of Health website, http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/DEE/Waterborne/documents/RecWater.pdf.
Since 2012, StreamWatch, the Rivanna Conservation Society and the Rivanna River Basin Commission have collaborated on a monthly bacteria sampling project at 14 locations throughout the Rivanna watershed. Seven of the 14 sampling sites are at popular recreation spots on the Rivanna and Moormans Rivers. All the samples taken this year at the recreation spots had bacteria counts safely below the state standard for water quality. The remaining seven sampling sites are located within the Moores Creek watershed, where 54 samples were collected in 2014. Five sampling sites registered a total of 9 high bacteria counts. Lodge Creek and all of the Moores Creek watershed sampling locations are more than three miles upstream of the Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority’s wastewater treatment plant.
The bacteria sampling methods used by StreamWatch have been reviewed and accepted by DEQ. The sampling process is designed to detect potential problem sites for high levels of coliform bacteria. The collection methods are not designed to determine if waters meet the state water quality standards.
All the coliform bacteria data collected for this project in 2014, plus a map showing the sampling location, are available on the StreamWatch website, http://streamwatch.org/stream-conditions/bacteria-monitoring. Additional information related to the health of the Rivanna watershed is available at www.rivannariver.org.
For more information, please contact:
David Hannah, Executive Director of StreamWatch, (434) 422-2415, dhannah@streamwatch.org
Robbi Savage, Executive Director of Rivanna Conservation Society, (434) 977-4387, exec@rivannariver.org
.
About StreamWatch and Rivanna Conservation Society
StreamWatch, a 501©(3) non-profit organization, conducts water quality studies and assessments in the Rivanna River watershed. StreamWatch relies on trained volunteers to help sample streams and rivers for aquatic health (checking for benthic macroinvertebrates) and for the presence of bacteria that is harmful to humans. StreamWatch relies on partnerships with local governments and other groups to encourage the use of its data in sound decision-making. www.streamwatch.org
The Rivanna Conservation Society is a nonprofit 501©(3) membership organization created in 1990. RCS’s mission is to safeguard the ecological, recreational, historical, cultural and scenic resources of the Rivanna River and its tributaries. RCS advocates for policies and practices that will enhance the protection of the Rivanna River and its watershed. www.rivannariver.org