WATCH ABOVE: Montrealers jump in to the Saint Lawrence River to demand a clean up so residents can swim there again.
MONTREAL – Montreal’s annual Big Splash event gathered 200 participants at the Jacques-Cartier Pier in the Old Port last Tuesday, but as it turns out, those who jumped into the river did so in infected water.
On the day of the jump, a sample of the water was sent to Aqualabo, a Saint-Michel lab, and according to their analysis high levels of E.coli, enterococci bacteria and fecal matter were found in the water.
Julie Menard, a microbiologist from the lab told Global News their tests showed 3,600 cfu/100 ml presence in the Saint Lawrence River when they tested it last week.
According to government standards, water quality should be no higher than 200 cfu/100 ml for recreational activities.
Organizers with the Montreal event insisted they checked with the city prior to the jump and were told that the water was safe.
However, a warning was apparently posted on the city’s website the day of the jump to warn swimmers to wait 24 to 36 hours for results to come back from the lab before swimming.
Chemistry professor Joe Schwarcz from McGill University said that it is unlikely that swimmers will experience any side effects, but it’s still possible.
“E-coli is present in water all the time,” he said.
“Even if there was more than what is usually there, the risk would be minimal.”
The annual Big Splash event began in 2003 as a way of showing that swimming in the Saint Lawrence River was safe.
Comments