BRATTLEBORO — Last week's rain was a welcome sight for everyone except swimmers.
In round three of the Southeastern Vemont Watershed Alliance's summer water-quality monitoring program on Aug. 3, according to a news release, all but two sites in the West River and Whetstone watershed failed the “suitability for swimming” standard set by the state of Vermont and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of a maximum of 235 E. coli per 100 milliliters of water.
Volunteers are collecting samples from 30 sites on eight rivers and streams every other week through the end of August to test for E. coli, a bacterium found in the guts of all warmblooded animals, including humans.
According to their report, only Pikes Falls in Jamaica (140) and Indian Love Call in Newfane (168) passed muster.
The most contaminated site on the Whetstone was near the Brattleboro Food Co-op (687).
On the West River, Milk House Meadows in Brattleboro (687), behind the Brattleboro Professional Center (614), and under the West Dummerston Covered Bridge (518) were the most contaminated sites.
High bacteria levels are often a result of heavy rains, and the storms that passed through the region in the three days before testing caused rapid rises in bacteria. It is generally recommended to wait 24-48 hours after a significant rainfall to resume swimming in lakes and streams.
Most E. coli won't make people sick, but the bacterium can become pathogenic and cause illness. Also, the presence of E. coli in waters can indicate the presence of pathogens that are more difficult to detect.
For more on SeVWA's monitoring-program sites and results and other Connecticut River watershed water-quality and recreational information, visit www.ctriver.us.