Local streams in Greene and Fayette counties were found to have elevated levels of E. coli, according to a report by the PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center. The report, which sampled 653 rivers, streams, and lakes over a two-year period, found that about 55% of the locations had potentially hazardous amounts of fecal contamination at least once.

Local Impact

In Greene County, tests at an unnamed tributary of House Run found E. coli levels exceeding safety standards on six of eight days. Mill Run in Fayette County also displayed elevated levels, testing above the safety thresholds twice. However, samples taken at four sites along the Youghiogheny River in Fayette showed the results to be within normal levels in every test.

The report attributed the contamination to outdated sewage systems, development, and manure from large-scale factory farming. The bacteria, viruses, and parasites from sewage can enter local waters if systems become blocked or develop leaks. In cases of heavy rain events, combined systems — which discharge wastewater and sewage together — are often designed to spill directly into waterways.

PennEnvironment called for investments in repairing and modernizing stormwater infrastructure, with an estimated cost of $638 million a year over the next 20 years. The report also suggested protecting and restoring wetlands and other buffers that can filter out pollutants, and finding ways to prevent manure from industrial operations from reaching waterways.

Original reporting: Herald-Standard – latest news for Uniontown, Pennsylvania — read the source article.