Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Health

Chatfield State Park swim beached closed because of E. coli

Chatfield State Park swim beached closed because of E. coli

The closure will last at least the next 24 hours for additional testing, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — The swim beach at Chatfield State Park was temporarily closed on Tuesday due to the presence of E. coli, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW).

The swim beach closed at 10 a.m. Tuesday.  Additional testing was being done for the naturally occurring bacteria, with results expected in about 24 hours, CPW said on Twitter. If those results come back normal, the swim beach can reopen, a CPW spokesman said.

Under guidelines from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), natural swim areas are tested for E. coli on a weekly basis. If a result shows an E. coli concentration above 235 organisms per 100 milliliters, the beach must be closed, CPW says on its website.

Of two tests conducted recently, one came back normal and one came back elevated, the CPW spokesman said.

The temporary closure due to E. coli only affects the swim beach.

CPW says elevated E. coli results can be caused by:

  • Fecal waste from swimmers, pets or wildlife.
  • Improperly disposed dirty diapers.
  • Excessive runoff from rain or flood.
  • Runoff from urban, suburban or rural areas.
  • Malfunctioning septic systems.

> Video above: People enjoy Chatfield State Park on the first normal holiday weekend since COVID-19

RELATED: There was a moose sighting on the Front Range, and it happens more than you’d think

RELATED: Multiple injuries after hot air balloons crash land around Chatfield State Park

SUGGESTED VIDEOSLatest from 9NEWS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries

MORE WAYS TO GET 9NEWS

Subscribe to our daily 9NEWSLETTER

Download the 9NEWS APP
iTunes: http://on9news.tv/itunes
Google Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n 

HOW TO ADD THE 9NEWS APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE

ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA.

For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for “9news” to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.

You May Also Like

World

France, which has opened its borders to Canadian tourists, is eager to see Canada reopen to the French. The Canadian border remains closed...

Health

Kashechewan First Nation in northern Ontario is experiencing a “deepening state of emergency” as a result of surging COVID-19 cases in the community...

World

The virus that causes COVID-19 could have started spreading in China as early as October 2019, two months before the first case was identified in the central city of Wuhan, a new study...

World

April Ross and Alix Klineman won the first Olympic gold medal for the United States in women’s beach volleyball since 2012 on Friday,...