Swimmers can safely return to this park’s waters after county lifts advisory
Swimmers may safely return to the waters at Burfoot Park after the last two rounds of testing showed acceptable levels of bacteria, according to Thurston County Public Health and Social Services.
The county announced the swim advisory had been lifted via social media this week – about two and half weeks after the county initially posted the advisory at the park on the eastern shore of Budd Inlet.
On July 1, the county collected four samples with an average of 7,335 enterococci bacteria colonies per 100 milliliters of water, The Olympian previously reported. This was well above the advisory level of 104 colonies per 100 ml.
Data submitted to the state Department of Ecology indicates Thurston County conducted another round of testing on July 6 that found diminished but still high levels of the bacteria. The four samples collected that day had an average of 189 colonies per 100 ml, per the DOE.
The PHSS social media posts indicate the warning signs at the park have been removed and visitors are welcome to enjoy the water. The posts do not indicate what specific level of bacteria the last two rounds of testing showed.
Enterococcus is shed in human and animal feces. The bacteria is often used as a fecal indicator in water quality tests.
Symptoms of enterococcus infection include fever, chills, fatigue, headache, abdominal pain, pain or burning when you urinate, nausea and vomiting, according to healthline.com.
For more information on common swimming and water-borne illnesses, go to https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/phss/Pages/algae-illness.aspx.
For updated information about Burfoot Park, as well as information about other swimming areas, go to https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/phss/Pages/algae-swimming.aspx.
This story was originally published July 22, 2021 at 11:58 AM.
