Health Risk Rises on Chattahoochee River After Rainfall

The storms that rolled through Peachtree Corners and the metro area early Sunday morning (May 19) brought heavy rains - and the danger of flooding along the Chattachoochee River.

The deluge caused the National Weather Service to issue a flood warning for Medlock Bridge National Park and surrounding areas.

While the danger of flooding may have passed, another emerges - the threat of E.coli and other bacteria contamination.

According to the Chattahoochee BacteriALERT website, it's caused after a heavy rain, when fecal matter from warm-blooded animals, including dogs, cats, cows and wildlife, wash down into the river. Leaking sewage lines or spills from treatment plants can also cause levels to increase.

It's the elevated levels of E.coli particles in the water that can cause illness if exposed to the water.

The most common side effects of these sicknesses may include a short period of vomiting and/or acute diarrhea. Some bacteria such as the recently discovered strain of E. coli (0157:H7) can cause hemorrhagic colitis, a serious illness that can lead to complications such as kidney failure. Other waterborne diseases that can affect humans are caused by parasites and viruses, which are also associated with elevated levels of bacteria in the water.

BacteriALERT is a partnership between State and Federal agencies and non-government organizations. This partnership includes the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and non-governmental organizations such as the Chattahoochee RiverKeeper, Georgia Conservancy, and Trust for Public Land which monitor the particles of bacteria and post those findings on its website.

The website has posted an alert that currently there is a health advisory in effect based on a water sample that was taken on Thursday May 16.

The site offers a substantial amount of information in a Q&A that answers such questions as:

• Is it safe to eat fish caught in the river?
• How are fecal-coliform bacteria measured?
• Do fecal-coliform bacteria affect our drinking water?

The website explains how a water sample is analyzed for E. coli bacteria, provides a glossery of terms, a phone number to hear recorded messages, 678-538-1201, and a link to sign up for alerts via email.

The Medlock Bridge Park, which is located in the city of Peachtree Corners is one of four sites used to measure bacteria counts.

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