RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has completed another round of water testing at Lake Anna. Officials confirm there is no public threat as they close their investigation, though that doesn't mean they recommend anyone get in the water.
VDH opened their investigation after at least 20 people got sick with E coli after visiting the lake over Memorial Day weekend. It has been 20 days since the last person who visited during the holiday fell ill. Health officials were unable to identify the bacteria in water samples taken from the lake, or where it came from.
Officials remind everyone that water testing is a snapshot in time and at a specific location. The samples used for E coli testing were collected four weeks after the Memorial Day weekend and do not necessarily reflect the water environment during the holiday weekend. Results also cannot predict future risk, and swimming in any natural body of water poses some health risks because the water is not disinfected. Children under the age of five years old, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of contracting illness from natural bodies of water.
The health department will be on high alert and monitor the public even more than usual through July 17, because of upcoming Fourth of July celebrations. This surveillance involves monitoring emergency department and urgent care visits, in addition to investigating any reported E coli cases.
Officials will continue the routine bacterial monitoring of Lake Anna that occurs each year between April and October. This monitoring includes testing for fecal bacteria, but not STEC. The DEQ results are available at Water Quality Data Home.
To prevent illness when swimming, boating, wading, or recreating in natural bodies of water, people should:
- Never swallow untreated water and don’t swim if your skin has cuts or open wounds.
- Wash hands frequently, including after swimming and before preparing and eating food.
- Shower or bathe after swimming to wash off possible germs and contaminants.
- Check the water and the area around it before swimming. Avoid going in water if there is a green film on the water or if the water is cloudier than usual. Avoid swimming near storm drains or livestock.
- Avoid swimming if you are vomiting or have diarrhea.
- Avoid swimming for three days after a heavy rain. Heavy rain picks up anything it comes in contact with, including germs from overflowing sewage, polluted storm water, and runoff from land.
- Properly dispose of human waste by discharging boat sewage at marinas with a pump-out unit or dump station.
- Check with your healthcare provider before swimming in oceans, lakes, rivers, and other natural bodies of water if your body’s ability to fight germs is already affected by other health problems or medicines.
Health officials remind everyone that the upper section of North Anna Branch of Lake Anna in Louisa County remains under a swimming advisory due to harmful algal blooms (unrelated to the recent E coli outbreak).
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