Chatfield's Swim Beach Closed For 4th Time This Summer
LITTLETON, Colo. (CBS4)- A popular beach for swimming near the Denver metro area is closed once again because of high levels of E. coli.
Chatfield State Park's swim beach was temporarily closed on Wednesday because routine water tests contained a higher than allowable bacteria level.
"These water quality tests are performed to protect the public. The temporary closures are unfortunate, but they are essential to protecting the health of our visitors," said Chatfield State Park's Assistant Manager Keith Kahler.
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The high levels of E.coli may have occurred due to recent heavy rains and high temperatures. Park staff closed the beach to swimming on Wednesday morning and took new water samples from the area for testing to monitor the bacteria levels.
"The solution is to keep doing with what we're doing. It's all about public safety. It occurs naturally in the environment. If you're going to have those runoffs and you've got the water in the natural body of water, we can't control it. Do we have chlorine drip systems running around? No, we don't have those in a natural body of water. So, we're testing it for public safety so when people do come out here, they're safe," said Chatfield State Park Manager Scott Roush.
The swim beach at Chatfield has been closed three times this summer, July 7, July 20 and July 27 for the same reason. Each time the swim beach reopened after the bacteria levels dropped below the permissible level.
The swim beach will be reopened when the bacteria levels meet Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment requirements.
