High bacteria levels in Lake Wheeler baffle county

RALEIGH -- For the fifth time this summer, Wake County closed Lake Wheeler Park's recreational beach Friday because of bacteria in the water.

County officials are baffled about what's causing elevated levels of enterococcus bacteria, a microbe that also plagued the lake May 25 and Aug. 4, 18 and 25.

"Lake Wheeler is off the charts this summer," said Tommy Esqueda, Wake's environmental services director. "It is something we definitely want to find a solution to."

County technicians typically sample recreational waters such as Lake Wheeler every Monday. Areas that exceed EPA standards for bacteria are closed and reopen only after two consecutive days of acceptable test results.

Enterococci are produced by warm-blooded creatures. Current sampling methods do not determine the source of the bacteria, Esqueda said, meaning they could come from animals or humans.

"It is frustrating to have it there and not know where it is coming from," he said.

Wake has reached out to N.C. State University and UNC-Chapel Hill for scientists to track down the organisms' origin. Esqueda said flocks of geese or human sewage runoff are the two leading candidates. Regardless of the cause, he urged people visiting the lake to exercise caution.

"There is a very real chance of illness," he said.