A Calgary lab claims to have found e-coli in surface water in southern Alberta.
Of the 60 sites it tested 51 per cent tested positive for e-coli and 3 per cent for e-coli 157-H7.
Chris Bolton, the CEO of Benchmark Labs, said one is near Calgary, one at Brooks and one near Picture Butte.
E-coli 157-H7 is the pathogen that killed seven people in Walkterton, Ontario. Bolton also found coliform and salmonella in irrigation canals. Despite regulations designed to keep cattle and livestock operations out of water, Bolton says he thinks they’re the cause of it.
He said, “I did see canals that were fenced off with livestock inside so they could graze on the grass while standing in the water in the heat of the summer. So that would seem to me to be the primary source of those pathogens.”
But, the manager of Alberta Beef Producers says more investigation needs to be done before establishing that e-coli is coming from cattle operations.
“E-coli is pretty persistent in surface water,” said Rich Smith. “Because wildlife carry it, people carry it, all warm blooded animals carry it. So finding e-coli doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s contamination occurring from confined feeding operations.”
The Natural Resources Conservation Board says it system for protecting water was strengthened recently and is working well.
Andy Cumming at the NRCB office in Lethbridge says it takes water quality issues very seriously. He said, “If there is an issue involving surface water at a confined feeding operation the NRCB normally responds immediately and coordinates with other authorities such as Alberta Environment, the local health region, the irrigation districts as required.”
Cumming too pointed out that e-coli occurs naturally and there are many sources of it, not just livestock.
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