Dan McCrory presented the results of testing done during the summer for "fecal pollution" in Fairhope's creeks, gullies, ponds and beach waters. McCrory said such bacteria (enterococci, fecal coliform) can cause sickness for swimmers when ingested or through cuts in skin (the beaches were closed 5 times last Summer by the Health Dept.).
McCrory said he found there were a wide range of readings ranging from zero to TNTC (too numerous to count) in the marina near Fly Creek Cafe, the boat pump out station, the city's sewage lift station at Hwy 98 (Woodlands Subdivision), the duck pond and gullies leading from Colonial Acres Subdivision.
McCrory said his laboratory had gone as far as it could and introduced a biology professor from Auburn University who has expertise in the next step, DNA testing.
AUBURN PROFESSOR'S PROPOSAL
Biology Professor Dr. Yucheng Feng proposed to utilize a microbial source tracing study (DNA) to determine the animal origins of the beach contamination -- using water samples collected from 8 sites.
Dr. Feng said she expected the analysis would determine if the source of the fecal pollution is human, bovine or bird (goose, sea gull); and how much each contributes to the problem.
She also said it should determine if bacteria is actually growing in the beach sand -- another possibility, according to Feng.
The testing will cost the city about $86,000 and extend through next summer. Feng said she had performed one such study before for another Alabama city; and graduate students would help in the analysis.
Mayor Kant said that to have a private commercial lab do the study instead would cost "about twice as much."
Some citizens have privately expressed conflict of interest concerns, since Auburn has a research farm in the Fly Creek drainage basin.
The city council is scheduled to decide whether to approve the contract at Monday's meeting.
Comments