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From Sound Rivers

 

Sound Rivers issued a water-quality alert for Bonner Point in Bath on Friday.

Water samples were collected from 12 locations in the Tar-Pamlico basin from Greenville to the Pungo River as part of Swim Guide, the weekly bacteria water quality monitoring program meant to inform the public about the safety of their recreational waters.

Samples collected this week from Bonner Point exceeded recreational water-quality standards for E. coli. The public is recommended to use caution when recreating on or particularly in the water near these locations. Results from samples collected from Town Common, Port Terminal, Yankee Hall Road, Mason’s Landing, the Washington waterfront, Swan Point, Cypress Landing, Blounts Bay, Pamlico Plantation, Cotton Patch Landing, and Woodstock Point were below levels of concern.

E. coli, the bacteria group used for testing, is found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. While many strains are harmless, others can cause illness, therefore E. coli is used as an indicator for recent fecal contamination of waterways. People swimming or recreating in waters with fecal bacteria levels higher than the recreational water-quality standard have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness or skin infections.

Sound Rivers is a nonprofit organization with a mission to monitor and protect the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River watersheds covering nearly one quarter of North Carolina, and to preserve the health and beauty of the river basins through environmental justice. This monitoring is made possible by support from Grady White Boats, Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Cypress Landing on Chocowinity Bay, Lenoir UNC Health Care, Blackbeard Sailing Club, UNC Pavel Molchanov Scholars, and Melinda Vann and David Silberstein.

To find out more about water quality in your area, go to www.soundrivers.org/swimguide or text “SWIM” to 33222 for weekly water quality text updates.