By Heather Michon
Correspondent
Thinking of splashing around in the Rivanna this summer? Don’t.
The Rivanna Conservation Alliance conducts weekly water testing along the river in both Albemarle and Fluvanna counties during the summer months.
They are looking for e.coli, a bacteria common in animal and human waste. Heavy summer rains push all that waste into area waterways and increase the risk of nasty gastrointestinal illness for swimmers and boaters.
The Virginia Department of Health sets the “safe” level of e.coli at 253 MPN – most probable number – per 100 ml.
A test sample at the Palmyra Boat Launch on July 10 found the e.coli level was 2419.6 MPN, almost ten times above the safety level.
The previous test on July 3 found 1299.7 MPN.
By comparison, June testing found levels ranging from 83.6-178.5 MPN.
The best way to protect yourself from potential e.coli contamination is to wait at least 48 hours after a heavy rain before going into area rivers, lakes, or ponds, including Lake Monticello.
The July 10 test was conducted the same day the area received rainfall of about 0.5 inches of precipitation.
“If the water looks muddy, the bacteria levels are generally high as well, so it’s best to avoid contact with the water until the water clears up,” Rivanna Conservation Alliance Director of Monitoring Claire Sanderson recently told NBC29 News. “If you’ve been in the water, then rinse off with tap water afterwards.”
Visit the Rivanna Conservation Alliance website at https://www.rivannariver.org/bacteria/ to learn more or to view the monitoring dashboard. You can also sign up for alerts to track the latest testing rates.
