Bacteria at Lake Mohave

Park officials are warning of bacteria in Lake Mohave. Astrid Mendez reporting.

THIS WEEK AFTER CHECKINGSAMPLES FROM PRINCESS COVE ANDNORTH ARIZONA TELEPHONE COVE.NOW, SOME WORRY THE SAME COULDHAPPEN AT LAKE MEAD.13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER ASTRIDMENDEZ SPOKE TO OFFICIALS ABOUTTHE SOURCE OF THE CONTAMINATIONAND WHAT VISITORS CAN DO TOHELP.ASTRID INTRO HERE AT LAKE MEADTHE FUN CONTINUES FOR ALLVISITORS.I SPOKE TO PARK OFFICIALS WHOTOLD ME THAT BACTERIAL LEVELSARE WITHIN RANGE, BUT EVERYONE,INCLUDING RV CAMPERS NEED TODUMP LITTER OR SEWAGE INDESIGNATED PLACES, TO KEEP ITTHAT WAY.TAKE PKG PRINCESS COVE ANDNORTH ARIZONA TELEPHONE COVE ATLAKE MOHAVE ARE PLACES TO AVOIDRIGHT NOW.THE WATER IS CONTAMINATEDWITH FECAL BACTERIA "THE TWOBACTERIA THAT WE FOUND RIGHTNOW IS FECAL COLIFORM ANDENTEROCOCCI AND THE HEALTHRISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THATCOULD BE GASTROINTESTINALISSUES AS WELL AS EYE, EAR ANDNOSE INFECTIONS SO IT'SIMPORTANT TO STAY OUT OF THEWATER, BUT THAT'S WHY THE WATERQUALITY SAMPLING SO WE CANINSURE THAT THE PARK AND THEWATER ARE SAFE FOR EVERYBODY.THE SWIM ADVISORY IN PLACE WILLSTAY UNTIL THE BACTERIA LEVELSGO DOWN IN THEIR DAILY TESTS."THE ELEVATED LEVELS THAT WESAW DOWN AT LAKE MOHAVEINDICATE THAT THERE MAY HAVEBEEN SOMEBODY WHO DID SOMEILLEGAL ACTIVITY, IS NOT ONE ORTWO PEOPLE WHO WENT TO THEBATHROOM IN THE LAKE, IS MOSTLIKELY SOMEONE WHO DUMPED ASEWAGE TANK FROM AN RV OR AVESSEL.THAT'S ILLEGAL, IS GROSS, ISUNHEALTHY AND IS DISRESPECTFULTO THE MILLIONS OF VISITORS.BACK AT LAKE MEAD, SHANW NEWMANWAS SHOCKED TO HEAR SOMEONEWOULD EVEN DO THIS."WHEN YOU GO TO THE BATHROOM INYOUR HOUSE, YOU DON'T DUMP ITOUTSIDE YOU, IT GOES DOWN THETOILET IT GOES TO A SECUREPLACE AND THEY DO SOMETHINGWITH IT.WHEN YOU DUMP IT IN YOUR LAKESAND LOCAL RIVERS, YOU CREATEBAD BACTERIA AND IS BAD FOR THEENVIRONMENT" AS A RV CAMPER, HEUNDERSTANDS THE STRUGGLES, BUTHE SAYS THERE'S NO EXCUSE."IT'S A LONG JOURNEY A LOT OFTIMES IS EXHAUSTING, A LOT OFPEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DUMP ITRIGHT, BUT IS STILL VERYIMPORTANT FOR THEM TO DO IT ANDNOT JUST TAKE THE SHORTCUT ANDTHE EASY ROUTES BECAUSE THAT'SWHEN THINGS GET MESSED UP ANDNOT JUST FOR THEM BUT FOREVERYBODY ELSE AND YOU DON'TWANT TO RUIN EVERYBODY ELSE'STIME" THERE ARE FREE DUMPSTATIONS AVAILABLE AT ALL PARKCAMPGROUNDS AND IN THE MARINA.SO, IF YOU SEE SOMEONE NOTDISPOSING IT PROPERLY, YOU CANCALL 911.ASTRID TAG AGAIN, LAKE MEAD ISNOT CURRENT AFFECTED BY THISBACTERIA LEVELS AT LAKE MOHAVE.AND IF YOU VISIT, REMEMBER TOBRING SUNSCREEN, LOTS OF WATERAND TRY TO KEEP YOUR PLACE ASCLEAN AS POSSIBLE.NEVADA HAS SURPASSED 49-THOUSAND CORONAVIRUS CASES.ACCORDING TO THE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT, 986 PEOPLE HAVE