open water swimming in Emmerentia dam?

[Scooterza]

You wouldn't catch me in Emmarentia Dam EVER. I just think you are taking a big risk. You may swim there 20 times with no problem and then one day you get a nasty in your system and spend 3 months recovering. And I don't think I am being paranoid. Just not worth the risk if you ask me. I have seen sewage flowing into the stream that flows through emmarentia. If you think its ok to eat ****, then by all means...happy paddling! I think in a canoe is ok - much lower risk but doing crawl where you are breathing in that water every breath you take - uh uh!

[flex]

Probably the best dam for swimming is at Heia Safari Ranch but they do charge R50 for entry.

Thug, how long does it take to drive there from our neck of the woods? Lets give it a whirl!

[tombeej]

@tombeej

 

There goes your theory!

 

It's no theory boet. That spruit that feeds Emmarentia via the botanical gardens has its source in the Melville koppies a couple of kays away, then runs right down thru a little bit of Melville and then straight into the dams in the botanical gardens. There's no township upstream, no industrial area, only residential homes. The only possible source of e-coli would be from the sewage systems no longer able to service those homes effectively.

 

Emmarentia has always been the cleanest dam in the greater JHB area. It was always the one place you could count on. If people are now detecting high e-coli levels in that dam (I left GP nearly 3 years ago) then there's no hope for water sports in Gauteng, the fat lady has sung. Makes me even gladder I'm back in mtb.

[Thug]

I wonder how often Dabs gets the water tested. I looked on their website earlier today but couldn't find anything to do with water quality. I used to subscribe to the GPKayak list and I know that at one stage (years ago) Bilharzia was detected.

 

@Flex, it shouldn't take longer than 40 minutes or so from my place. I know that Troisport club members swim there on Saturday afternoons.

[mosey]

My first worry would be the barble getting hold of me and dragging me under!! I've seen those things from the other side when feeding the geese and they give me the creeps..

[nickc]

It's no theory boet. That spruit that feeds Emmarentia via the botanical gardens has its source in the Melville koppies a couple of kays away, then runs right down thru a little bit of Melville and then straight into the dams in the botanical gardens. There's no township upstream, no industrial area, only residential homes. The only possible source of e-coli would be from the sewage systems no longer able to service those homes effectively.

 

Emmarentia has always been the cleanest dam in the greater JHB area. It was always the one place you could count on. If people are now detecting high e-coli levels in that dam (I left GP nearly 3 years ago) then there's no hope for water sports in Gauteng, the fat lady has sung. Makes me even gladder I'm back in mtb.

 

 

Whats an immune system for if you don`t use it.

[flex]

I managed to get hold of some Dabs water test results for Emmarentia Dam, which look as follows. EDIN denotes the dam inflow, near the furthest buoy from the jetty; while EDOUT denotes the outflow, near the dam wall.

[flex]

The commentary associated with the above results was as follows:

I've had a look, and asked out water quality expert to have a look.

 

The only concern would be the high ecoli count and high turbidity count on the inflow into the dam. The ecoli would be linked with the high turbidity, and the high turbidity would be associated with rain and run-off. The ecoli count does drop off significantly by the exit of the dam. The count at the exit is well within the standard for full-contact recreational use (standard being 2000 counts per 100ml).

 

The rest of the results are within the standards.

 

Just a comment on the pH - it is within the standard (standard 6,5 - 8,5), but this may be what caused the eye irritations to the paddlers recently.

"The pH is well within the buffering capacity of the lachrymal fluid of the human eye but minimal eye irritations may occur." Out of interest the international standard is 6-9 (international being USA, Canada, Australia and UK).

[flex]

What confuses me about the above, is that when I did I triathlon at the Vaal recently, the water lab test results indicated that an EColi count above 400 parts per 100ml is considered to pose a high risk of gastrointestinal disorder. Have a look here

[Thug]

So in other words, depending on who does the testing, it may or not may not be that a level > 400 parts is considered detrimental to ones health.

 

Flex, according to that chart you posted on the linked thread, 906 is way off the scale.

 

I wonder if there is an Open Water Swiiming Assoc of SA that publsihes acceptable eColi levels ?

[Minion]

So in other words, depending on who does the testing, it may or not may not be that a level > 400 parts is considered detrimental to ones health.

 

Flex, according to that chart you posted on the linked thread, 906 is way off the scale.

 

I wonder if there is an Open Water Swiiming Assoc of SA that publsihes acceptable eColi levels ?

There are two standards. One is for total faecal coliform count and the second is for actual E.coli. The reasoning is that some labs cannot measure E.coli directly and so measure total faecal coliform instead.

 

The >2000 parts/100ml is for total faecal coliform and the >400 parts is for direct E.coli count.

 

Here's the DWAF document on Guidelines for Recreational water use:

http://www.dwaf.gov....WUM/RWU_GP6.pdf

 

The relevant sections are on sheets 62 and 66 of the PDF.

 

EDIT: Attached the actual PDF since DWAF site is damn slow.

SOUTH AFRICAN WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES_Vol2-Recreational Use.pdf

Edited March 25, 2011 by Edman

[Wyatt Earp]

There are two standards. One is for total faecal coliform count and the second is for actual E.coli. The reasoning is that some labs cannot measure E.coli directly and so measure total faecal coliform instead.

 

The >2000 parts/100ml is for total faecal coliform and the >400 parts is for direct E.coli count.

 

Here's the DWAF document on Guidelines for Recreational water use:

http://www.dwaf.gov.za/Documents/Other/RMP/RWUM/RWU_GP6.pdf

 

The relevant sections are on sheets 62 and 66 of the PDF.

Ugggh, I don't even need to get in to that contaminated water to get sick, the english language has some really gross words "floating" around

[Minion]

Ugggh, I don't even need to get in to that contaminated water to get sick, the english language has some really gross words "floating" around

Imagine how high the count would be if your 100ml sample included a 'floater' (or small chair sample, as they call it in the trade).

Edited March 25, 2011 by Edman

[Wyatt Earp]

Imagine how high the count would be if your 100ml sample included a 'floater' (or small chair sample, as they call it in the trade).

That's one thing you don't ask in a gay bar "can I push in your 'small chair'" :lol:

[Seeker911]

Forget Emmerentia. Try the Linden public pool lanes 5+ theres a current at each end of the pool that would make swimming in the ocean or a river look like a walk in the park. chuck in me and a few mates to create some wave action and Bobs yr uncle . Hey and if you really want to see some floaters and ecoli try the kiddies splash pool outside

Edited March 25, 2011 by Seeker911

[ThePubSA]

All i can say is i would'nt..Used to drive my radio control boat @ emmerentia.Have had to climb in few times, due to technical deficulties to fetch rc boat.Never picked up any rashes or earache..But have heard from a few canoeists thats its not too clean.As u cant eat the fish out of emmerentia...So i rekon unless u need to fetch skateboard from skating the outlet banks behind or something,there must be better places to go have a nice swim and train,mean if u hit that might aswell swim in zoo lake...