BOISE, Idaho — Signs warning of high levels of E. coli bacteria are posted for swimmers at pond 1 at Esther Simplot Park in Boise. Visitors can still swim at their own risk if they choose to as the bacteria is being addressed.
Pond 1 at Esther Simplot Park is the affected area. The other ponds in the park, including Quinn's Pond and Pond 2, remain safe for swimmers to enjoy.
Hear park officials discuss how they address E. coli in the water:
"It's kind of a sad situation because it does interfere with our ability to enjoy this beautiful nature," said Sharon Fritz, a regular visitor to the park. "And this park is really used a lot, a lot with families, and this is going to deter people from coming and taking advantage of it."
The warnings posted all around pond 1 didn't stop some folks from swimming anyway.
"We're gonna make sure that it is safe for people to be able to swim in," said Doug Holloway with Boise Parks and Recreation.
This is the first time they've seen E. coli levels this high since 2021. E. coli is a bacteria commonly found in animal and human waste.
"The last time we did it, it was geese number one, it was dogs number two, and then it was human number three," Holloway said.
To address these causes, Parks and Recreation contracts someone to scare away the geese, prohibits dogs from going off trails in the park, and recommends that young children wear water diapers when swimming.
However, officials believe this current contamination may have a different source.
"We suspect that it probably has something to do with some runoff," Holloway said.
Runoff enters the ponds from Whitewater Park Boulevard and is naturally filtered through wetlands, but bacteria can still thrive, especially during hot weather.
The department is using an organic chemical treatment to reduce E. coli levels down to state standards.
"We have a contractor that has a product that is safe for fisheries, safe for birds, safe for humans, that we have been using for the last five or six years," Holloway said.
Boise Parks and Recreation will continue to test the water weekly and hopes the organic treatment will resolve the issue soon.
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