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"I used to think flowing water was always fun and a good place to recreate. But now, unless you're dealing with treated water, it's best to be very careful," said Richard Urban, head of the TDEC Chattanooga field office's water pollution control division.
The environmental department has tested more than 60,500 miles of stream and about 5,155 miles contained E. coli, TDEC spokeswoman Tisha Calabrese-Benton said.
The pollution is caused by failed septic tanks, failed sewer collections and runoff from farms with livestock.
The bacteria can infect scratches on the skin, cause ear infections and cause illnesses with flu-like symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea and fever.
But most enforcement recommendations are voluntary. When E. coli is found in waterways, TDEC can ask cities and businesses to limit pollution and building permits, encourage better farm practices and offer educational programs.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers grants to farm owners who build watering and grazing systems that keep their livestock away from waterways.
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 "The way (the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) has approached a lot of regulatory actions is to start with voluntary actions. The next step becomes less voluntary," Urban said. "If things are not improved, the recommendations become less and less voluntary."
Municipal governments are asked to prohibit storm drain connections to sewer lines and requiring tougher septic tank permitting rules.
More than 20 creeks in Hamilton County are polluted with E. coli bacteria. Some of the polluted streams flow near public recreation places, such as the city's Renaissance Park, Audubon Acres wildlife sanctuary and Camp Jordan in East Ridge.
"The disappointing thing to me is if you're down at Renaissance and you're biking or reading or whatever, you can't put your feet in the water," said Leah Cross, who recently took her 4-year-old son to Renaissance Park. "I think it's just sad that it's polluted, and I hope they find a solution."
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Information from: Chattanooga Times Free Press,
http://www.timesfreepress.com
[Associated Press] |
