Hello Neighbors,
Some of you will have seen the high levels of bacteria at the beach and marina found by Arundel Rivers Federation over the past few weeks. HSIA is posting no swimming advisories until we observe these levels going down, which is smart. If there are more than 104 colony-forming-units per 100mL of water, EPA considers that unsafe for swimming. On Wednesday, July 8, the marina had levels ten times that.
I want you all to know that Arundel Rivers Federation is actively investigating the source of this pollution, and will keep you all apprised of what is learned. In the meanwhile, our primary suspect for the beach is geese and other waterfowl which have been assembling there. Please do not feed these animals–that only makes them defecate more.
I know it can be hard to hold back a sweaty child from running into the river (trust me). But for parents of younger kids, we’ve all recently had tough conversations about disease and safety, so try to consider this setback as another opportunity to reinforce the message of making responsible choices to protect our health. Remember, backyard sprinklers are still safe!
Take care neighbors,
Jesse L. Iliff
South, West & Rhode RIVERKEEPER®
Arundel Rivers Federation, Inc.
