Lailah Schuett plays in the water at Lions Beach in Janesville as her aunt, Kaley Doll of Janesville, watches from her chair. Lions Beach closed for the season Sept. 7.
Lailah Schuett plays in the water at Lions Beach in Janesville as her aunt, Kaley Doll of Janesville, watches from her chair. Lions Beach closed for the season Sept. 7.
A recent water quality test shows elevated levels of E. coli bacteria in the water at Lions Beach, city officials say.
The city issues a water quality advisory whenever bacteria levels reach between 250 and 1,000 parts per million. The most recent water sample at Lions Beach produced 613 parts per million, according to a city news release.
The cityÃÛèÖÊÓƵ recreation department sends samples to the state Hygiene Lab weekly.
The most recent testing requires a public notice, but the beach is still considered safe for swimming.
Results greater than 1,000 parts per million would cause the beach to close, according to the release.
Consumption of E. coli can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Symptoms typically begin three to four days after consumption, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Lions Beach is among a limited number of local aquatics facilities open this summer during the coronavirus pandemic. Splash pads at the town square Bubbler and Riverside Park also are open, but Rockport Pool and the wading pool at Palmer Park did not open for the season.
The CDC says there is no evidence the coronavirus can be passed through water, and it has not been detected in treated drinking water.
The coronavirus is known to be spread through close person-to-person contact, which can happen at aquatics facilities, according to the CDC.
On June 15 during monthly testing, the Rock County Public Health Department also found elevated levels of E. coli at the stream in Carver Roehl County Park in Clinton, Gibbs Lake in Edgerton and the stream near Blackhawk Golf Course in Janesville.
