University of Maryland School of Public Health researchers continue to test water from the Potomac River one month after a wastewater pipe broke, dumping millions of gallons of raw sewage into the river, and find the river still has high levels of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, or staph.
We continue to see these disease-causing bacteria at levels unsafe for people and animals.
“Though our testing has shown lower levels of E. coli since we began sampling, we continue to see these disease-causing bacteria at levels unsafe for people and animals,” said Rachel Rosenberg Goldstein, PhD, a microbiologist at the University of Maryland and part of the school’s water emergency team in a press release. “To ensure safety, people should continue to avoid coming into contact with the Potomac near the spill site, and with land near the impacted river.”
Scientists note high levels of MRSA
On January 19, the broken pipe dumped more than 200 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac near Washington, D.C. On January 21, samples collected were over 10,000 times above Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recreational water standards. On February 17, samples were lower yet, but still 100 to 200 times above the standard.
Of note, high levels of pathogenic bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant MRSA (Methicillin-resistant S aureus) continue to be detected at multiple collection sites along the river.
“The consistent presence of MRSA at the spill site and staph downriver emphasizes continued possible health risks that need to be monitored,” said Goldstein.
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