New tests show 'E. Coli-pocalypse' in weekly French Broad water report

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — French Broad Riverkeepers say recent rains have led to some unhealthy swimming conditions in local waterways.

A release from MountainTrue says the rain caused more farm runoff and sewer pipe stress.

At Hominy Creek River Park, Brock Dehler and his friends enjoyed the heat and the French Broad River while cruising on a four person tube Friday afternoon.

Cameron Sweet admitted she worries about the E. coli levels in the water, but it doesn’t stop her from going tubing.

“I think about it. I’m like, 'Hmm the E. coli.' But I try not to think about it,” Sweet said.

Over the past week, Asheville has received approximately .5 inches recorded from last Wednesday, June 12, 2019, to Tuesday June 18 of rain contributing to increased runoff and E. Coli in the local waterways. Sudden heavy rains often don’t allow water to soak into the ground and instead become runoff flushing sediment, pet waste, oil, fertilizer, and other pollutants into our waterways.

Each Thursday afternoon throughout the spring, summer and fall, the French Broad Riverkeeper releases new, up-to-date bacteria monitoring results for approximately 30 of the French Broad River’s most popular streams and recreation areas.

The Swim Guide lists each testing site as either passing or failing according to the EPA limit for E. coli in recreational waters of 235 cfu (or colony forming units) per 100 milliliters.

“The results this week are real bad. Around the lab, we’re throwing around the term ‘E. Coli-pocalypse’. Of the 26 sites we tested only two passed. We test at the same time every week. What was different this week is that we had heavy rains the night before and the morning when we were testing. This can overstress sewer pipes and other infrastructure. These kinds of rains also mean more storm runoff from farms with poor land management practices. That causes more fertilizer and animal waste to run off their fields and into the streams that feed into the French Broad River,” says French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson. “Of the two sites that passed, one was the Mills River Boat Access. This is where Asheville and Hendersonville gets some of our drinking water, and it’s in a protected watershed. So while it’s probably not a good weekend to go tubing, there are plenty of clean streams and swimming holes in protected watershed like our national forests. So, put on your swimsuits, tie up your hiking boots and go exploring.”

Of the 26 sites tested this week, only 2 sites met the EPA standard for E. coli. Those sites are Mills River Boat Access and Swannanoa at Charles D. Owen Park and they maintained readings consistently below 200 cfu for the past 5 weeks.

The sites that did not pass the EPA’s limit are as follows:

• Big Laurel
• Cane Creek at Fletcher Community Park
• French Broad at Champion Park
• Hap Simpson
• FB Pisgah Forest Access Point (Wilson)
• FB at Penrose: Crab Creek Rd
• FB at Horseshoe Boat Access (Lazy Otter)
• FB Westfeldt Park
• FB Glen Bridge Rv Park
• FB at Bent Creek River Park
• FB at Hominy Creek Park
• FB at RAD Craven St. bridge
• FB Pearson Bridge
• FB Woodfin River Park
• FB Ledges Whitewater Park
• FB Barnard
• FB at Hot Springs
• Hominy Creek @ Bunc. Co. Sports Park
• Hominy Creek Greenway
• Lake Tomahawk
• Little River - Hooker Falls, Dupont
• Mills Rv Boat Access
• Mud Creek at Hendersonville (7th ave)
• Mud Creek at Brookside Camp Rd.
• Pigeon River- Waynesville
• Pigeon River- Canton
• Rhododendron Creek - W. Avl Park
• Spring Creek in Hot Springs, NC
• Swannanoa at Warren Wilson/Charles D. Owen
• Swannanoa @ Azalea Soccer Fields

Sites over 5,000 cfus are as follows:

• French Broad at Barnard
• French Broad at Bent Creek River Park
• French Broad Ledges Whitewater Park
• French Broad at Hot Springs

E. coli bacteria makes its way into our rivers and streams from sewer/septic leaks and stormwater runoff – especially runoff from animal agricultural operations with substandard riparian buffers. E. coli can also indicate the presence of other more harmful microbes, such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, and norovirus. Heavy rains and storms often result in spikes in E. coli contamination, increasing the risk to human health. Contact with or consumption of contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal illness, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections. The most commonly reported symptoms are stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever.

“Well, in Asheville, I think we’re most concerned about keeping your tattoos covered. So, as you can see, I have one of them covered with a waterproof bandage, and, other than that, I’m not afraid,” Sweet said.

In general, waterways that are located in more remote areas or near protected public lands that lack a lot of agriculture, development or industrial pollution sources are the cleanest and will be less affected by stormwater runoff. Areas closer to development and polluting agricultural practices are much more heavily impacted.

You can check local water tests near you at theswimguide.org