E. coli fears close Ascarate

Larry Monarrez
El Paso Times
Wednesday, August 1, 2001

Ascarate Lake was closed Tuesday after the El Paso City-County Health and Environmental District discovered possible Escherichia coli contamination, county officials said Tuesday.

"We suspect E. coli, but we need to confirm it," said Jorge Magaña, director of the health district. "We mobilized this quickly because it can be dangerous for the community and anybody who has contact with the water."

Several dead ducks were found at the lake Friday, and health officials began an investigation Monday.

E. coli is a germ primarily found during the summer months that causes severe cramps and diarrhea. The germ can lead to kidney failure, and in severe cases even death. Health experts believe people with weak immune systems are especially vulnerable.

"E. coli is everywhere you go and in everything you eat," Magaña said. "It could be a health risk for anybody who swallows water from the lake."

Officials are considering the possibility that the contamination was intentional.

Water samples were sent to Austin to confirm the presence of the germ and are expected back by Friday, Magaña said.

The news shocked 21-year-old Lower Valley resident Adolph Mason, who was fishing at the 44-acre lake just a few hours before it was closed.

"This is terrible, and I hope they can clean it up quick," Mason said. "I've seen dead fish in the water, but nothing too bad. It's rare for me to come fishing here, and now I'm really going to think about it before I come back."

County Commissioner Carlos Aguilar, whose district includes the lake, met with Magaña and other county officials Tuesday to find out how the lake might have been contaminated.

"I myself have eaten the fish at the lake and was just at the park," he said. "It's disappointing and frustrating, but we will take all the necessary steps to ensure the lake is safe for the community."

The lake's low water level is making the problem worse, Aguilar said.

"The stagnant water is more concentrated if there's less water in the lake," he said.

The county will aerate the lake with pumps and fountains and test the water every month to make sure it is safe, Aguilar said.

The lake is expected to reopen in November, Magaña said.

The county will also try to keep the water level high to prevent contamination from the buildup of sediments, officials said.

The last time the lake was closed was in 1993, when county officials tested dead ducks and found that the water was contaminated. An investigation then revealed leaky septic tanks were contaminating the water.

Despite the lake's history with septic-tank problems, the county is not ruling out the possibility of somebody deliberately contaminating the lake.

"It may be that people just throw diapers in the water," Magaña said.

The county has asked the El Paso County Sheriff's Department Environmental Crime Unit to investigate the possible contamination.

"This is not the easiest crime to solve," Sheriff's Department spokesman Rick Glancey said. "But we have the utmost confidence that it will be solved."

Larry Monarrez may be reached at lmonarrez@elpasotimes.com