ATLANTA, GA — As metro Atlantans prepare to take to the waterways, one organization has a new way to let you know if the water is safe.
The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK) has long monitored the water quality in 300 different locations from Lake Lanier to Columbus.
Now, Technical Program’s Director Jess Sterling says they will put out a weekly swim guide during the summer months.
According to the CRK, the swim guide is a series of maps with red or green lights to help communities decide if recreation is safe at popular swimming spots.
“The maps will include swimming spots throughout Lake Lanier, Metro Atlanta (Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area), West Point Lake, and Columbus. On each map, green checkmarks will indicate a low risk of E. coli contamination (less than 235 MPN/100mL) and red Xs will indicate a high risk of E. coli contamination (greater than 235 MPN/100 mL). Risk levels are based on EPA Beach Action Value information.”
Every Thursday, the organization will collect and analyze water samples for E. coli bacteria, and on Fridays they will publish a series of maps with water quality conditions on Facebook, Instagram, and the Swim Guide website.
“We often get asked, ‘Is it safe to swim here?’” says Sterling, “There are a lot of misconceptions about water quality in the Chattahoochee River, so the goal of Swim Guide is to publish a resource about water quality conditions so the community can have fun on the river and be as safe as possible.”
She says heading into Memorial Day, water quality looks good on Lake Lanier, but recent rain has bacteria levels elevated on the river in the metro. She also notes that water quality conditions can change quickly, so it is important to still use caution.
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