Headed to Falls Lake, Neuse River? Local group monitors bacteria levels

Sound Rivers monitors the E. coli bacterial levels, according to Environmental Protection Agency safety standards, in popular recreation sites on Falls Lake and the Neuse River

Posted 12:27 a.m. Jul 17, 2019 — Updated 12:27 a.m. Jul 17, 2019

Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

, Go Ask Mom editor

If you're planning to take a dip in Falls Lake or the Neuse River, you may want to check out Sound Rivers' Swim Guide before you jump in.

Starting last summer, Sound Rivers began contributing to the Swim Guide, an international water quality monitoring program. Sound Rivers focuses on the Upper Neuse River and Raleigh area. The group monitors the E. coli bacterial levels, using Environmental Protection Agency safety standards, in popular recreation sites on Falls Lake and the Neuse River, says Laurel Holloman of Sound Rivers.

"We test weekly from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend," Holloman tells me. "Our goal as an environmental justice organization is to advocate for clean water as well as inform and engage the public with their local watershed."

They then post the results on Facebook and through press releases every Friday, so that the public can make informed decisions before they head out to swim, boat or fish. The NC Department of Environmental Quality also monitors 204 recreational sites through the Department of Marine Fisheries, and their data can be found online as well. Sound Rivers uses the same testing procedures as the government.

E. coli bacteria can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, among other illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"E. coli bacteria is a good indicator of fecal contamination, which typically comes from runoff that brings pet waste, fertilizers, farm waste, and sometimes septic tank leaks, depending on if it is a rural or an urban area," Holloman says." "We usually see the highest levels of bacteria after a big rain storm because they create a lot of runoff or, occasionally, after a very long dry period because a lower water level means a higher concentration of bacteria."

You can check the Sound Rivers' Swim Guide and Facebook page for the latest updates.

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