E coli has swimmers packing

E coli contamination has forced swimmers out of the water at a popular Queenstown spot.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) staff put several warning signs around the fringes of Queenstown Bay yesterday afternoon after a test result showed a high level of bacteria.

E coli can cause severe diarrhoea or bloody stools, nausea and occasionally vomiting, fatigue and fever.

QLDC chief engineer Ulrich Glasner said the weather was doing its bit to help keep swimmers out of the bay.

‘‘It has been raining and is too cold for swimming as well.’’

The potential concern was for those who were swimming on Saturday, when the test readings showed the elevated E coli levels.

Follow-up samples had been taken at four sites around the foreshore yesterday, he said.

‘‘We need between 12 and 24 hours to get the results so we will know more later tomorrow [Monday] morning.’’

Windy weather had created choppy lake conditions that could be conducive to high E coli levels.

‘‘Because of the wind over the last three days, the water was flowing directly into Queenstown Bay, so this could be a one-off,’’ Glasner said.

Daily sampling would continue until E coli levels dropped.

The QLDC carried out Saturday’s test after the Otago Regional Council’s weekly E. coli sampling on January 3 determined the bay was unsuitable for swimming, he said.