You can still swim in Avocado Lake despite high levels of E. coli, officials say

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Avocado Lake, which is typically filled with swimmers, was quiet Friday.

“We just advise that [people] should be very careful with that surface water right now,” Environmental Health Specialist Matthew Gore said.

Gore works with the Fresno County Department of Health, which received a disturbing notice from the California Water Board on Thursday.

“They informed us of elevated levels of E. coli bacteria that were detected there at Avocado Beach,” Gore said.

The board noticed a significant spike during their weekly test.

Gore says the average E. coli level is 320. On Thursday, it reached 2,419.6.

“E. coli is a family of bacteria that is found in warm-blooded animals,” Gore said. “It’s unknown at this point what the specific source of the contamination is.”

He emphasized the dangers of E. coli, but said the news doesn’t mean people have to avoid the water.

“It’s a good idea to rinse off afterwards, to wash your hands before you eat, to try not to ingest or inhale that water that you’re playing in,“ Gore said.

He says the bacteria can wash away as quickly as they arrived, likely by next week’s test.

“The water is constantly flowing and kind of replacing itself, and so the contamination will move away,” Gore said.