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Just as many Missourians are shopping for new swimsuits and preparing for their summer recreational activies, health officials are taking samples from local swimming sites to test for harmful bacteria. KSMU's Jennifer Moore reports.
On Tuesday, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department began testing the water samples to see which sites have E. Coli counts that make them unsuitable for swimming.
The five sites undergoing testing this week include parts of the James River, Wilson Creek, Little Sac River, and Galloway Creek, as well as Lake Springfield below the dam.
Natural bodies of water can contain harmful bacteria and parasites from human or animal waste and wastewater runoff. A person who swallows contaminated water may devlop illnesses that can cause a wide variety of symptoms, the most common of which is diarrhea.
This week is Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week.
The results of today's water testing will be posted on the Springfield-Greene County Health Department's Website on Friday.
For KSMU News, I'm Jennifer Moore.
