Lincoln NE Area Lake Tainted With E. coli
A popular recreational lake in the greater Lincoln, Nebraska, area has been found with very high levels of E. coli. The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality has not closed Branched Oak Lake to swimming or other recreation, but people should avoid drinking the water.
A test taken August 12 of the lake revealed E. coli levels at 1,300 parts per 100 milliliters. Any count greater than 235 is considered high, said Brian McManus, a department spokesman. Officials did not say what caused the spike in E. coli levels in the lake, but runoff from heavy rain has been known to increase E. coli levels in some lakes. The pathogen grows in the guts of cattle and some other animals and is expelled in the animals’ feces. The bacteria can cause bloody diarrhea and painful stomach cramping. In 5 to 15 percent of infections, patients develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children.
McManus told JournalStar.com that weekly testing of the lake will continue.
Tags: E coli, e coli in water sources
