7 Weeks After Massive Flooding, Bacterial Levels In Brisbane River Still Up To 50X Normal Levels

[hatrack]

BACTERIAL pollution of up to 50 times normal levels is still present in the Brisbane River and associated waterways seven weeks after the floods. Brisbane City Council yesterday released the first results of a new weekly water testing program that began after a Courier-Mail investigation last month revealed there was no monitoring of such contamination.

Samples taken on February 24 show that only two out of 26 locations, on Cabbage Tree Creek and at Wynnum Beach, had levels of faecal contamination that fell within state guidelines for recreational use of waterways.
For the full test results click here

Water in Oxley Creek contained up to 2000 colony forming units (cfu) of enterococci bacteria per 100 ml, compared with the state guideline of 40. Enterococci can cause stomach upsets and skin infections, but high levels indicate more dangerous bugs and viruses may also be present.

Locations with more than 500 cfu get a red alert in the council's traffic-light warning system. According to federal guidelines, at this level there is more than a one-in-10 chance of stomach infection and a one-in-25 chance of respiratory illness per single exposure.

EDIT

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/brisbvane-river-pollution-still-50-times-normal-levels/story-e6freoof-1226016154934

[txlibdem]

1. They call it "sewerage" not "sewage" down under?

"Lord Mayor Campbell Newman yesterday said he had "been advising residents to stay out of rivers and creeks since the flood due to the sewerage and other nasties in the water"."
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/brisbvane-river-pollution-still-50-times-normal-levels/story-e6freoof-1226016154934

Throw another polluted shrimp on the barbie, mate.