KIRKSVILLE, MO -- Each Monday during the summer, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tests all state park beaches in Missouri for E. coli. If a water sample is drawn and it exceeds the departments standard of 235 E. coli colonies per 100 milliliters, then that state park beach will be closed until the number of E. coli colonies falls below the standard.
With the amount of rain northeast Missouri has gotten this year, our Fact Finder team investigated whether or not the DNR would re-test a water sample in the event of flooding. According to DNR Representative Judd Slivka, the higher the amount of water, the greater your E. coli levels may be.
“Over time, we have discovered that there is a correlation between higher bacteria levels in water when it floods” said Slivka. “Right now, the technology does not exist to test a sample of water after flooding occurs other than on Monday.”
Slivka said by the time a sample is taken on Monday afternoon, sent to the DNR office to be tested, and the results are in, it may take up to 48-hours. 24 of those hours are spent with the water in an incubator, which is the amount of time it takes for the test to germinate E. coli. A six-hour test is in the works. It is currently being tested in Ohio and Indiana. Slivka said before long, Missouri hopes to try the 6-hour test.
Missouri is one of many states that close their state park beaches when there are high levels of E. coli. However, Slivka said there are some states that do not close their swimming beaches, Iowa being on of them. DNR representatives simply inform beach goers of the elevated levels and to swim at their own risk.
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