Fecal Monitoring Results - 2009-2012

Unflushed Toilet:  268 Fecal Bacteria Colonies
Little Falls Branch: 195 Fecal Bacteria Colonies

As a result of a class action law suit, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC)  is required to monitor the fecal count of all county creeks ( WSSC Consent Decree – Civil Action No. PJM-04-3679 ).  The Maryland State standards for safe water use are listed below the chart.  We can work together to clean up the creek by controlling polluted run-off.    Click here for Washington Post column on unflushed toilets and Bay bacterial levels!

Help Prevent High Fecal Levels

We can work together to clean up the creek by controlling polluted run-off.  After a rain, rainwater rushes over pavement and lawns and carries poop right into the creek.   Pick up after your dog.  Install rain gardens, pervious pavements, and native landscaping to let rain water run seep the ground instead of running into the creek.

Second Quarter 2012 - April 4, 2012
  		 BST Results: 
  (Enterococcus
 CFU/100ml)		 Source Percentages

  LFS001 – downstream
  Little Falls located at the end of Duvall Drive
 

 195

  Human – 14%
  Avian – 30%
  Canine – 8%
  Deer – 12%
  Misc. Wildlife – 27%
  Non-human Unknown – 8%

 LFS002 – upstream
 Upstream of T intersection of Little Falls Parkway
 and Massachusetts Ave
 

120

  Human – 20%
  Avian – 33%
  Canine – 6%
  Deer – 11%
  Misc. Wildlife – 25%
  Non-human Unknown – 5%

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

The Maryland state standards for Enterococci bacteria:

All Areas:

33

Frequent Full Body Contact Recreation:

61

Moderately Frequent Full Body Contact Recreation:

78

Occasional Frequent Full Body Contact Recreation:

107

Infrequent Full Body Contact Recreation:

151

All numbers are counts per 100 milliliters

Start helping your watershed today!