Jessica M. Lucas

Bonner GalaSpring 2009

SML Water Quality Mission

The mission of the Smith Mountain Lake Water Quality Program is to ensure that all potable drinking water is safe and secure within the lake. There are various recreational sites, camps, and homes located on this lake and everyone’s security is of the utmost importance.

Summer of Service OverviewI worked as a Water Quality

Technician for the Smith Mountain Lake Water Quality Association and Ferrum College.

At the beginning of the summer, I utilized my Bonner training to help train and inform 50 volunteers how to properly use equipment.

Regional Connection Smith Mountain Lake reaches three different

counties, Bedford, Franklin, and Pittsylvania, within Southwestern Virginia.

The water we tested affects all different communities, including a 4-H camp in Franklin County.

Volunteers from all over these counties contribute countless hours each summer to this program.

Community Connection The most amazing aspect of this project is

that everyone, with the exception of the technicians, are all volunteers in the community.

A need to see water improvement has actually brought about change over the past 23 years.

The program reports directly to the Virginia Department of Health .

S.O.S OverviewBi-weekly water sample pick-ups from the monitors houses. This is where interaction would occur and the water’s condition would be discussed.

There were Bi-weekly sample testing's for E. coli and Fecal Coli forms.

Tributary Testing In June and August there were tributary water sample pick-ups and these samples were tested for antibiotic resistance.

E. coli and

ARA

Jessica LucasSummer 2008

Natural Sciences and Mathematics Presentation

Escherichia coliEscherichia coli or E. coli is a type of fecal

coliform bacteria that is primarily found in the intestines of both humans and animals. Therefore, E. coli are found in the waste of humans and animals.

E. coli can make its way into water sources by rainfall, snow melting, or any other type of precipitation.

If the water source is left untreated humans may consume E. coli.

Smith Mountain lake is a recreational use water body and is used in some cases as a potable water supply.

Escherichia coli We were collecting and evaluating water

samples from Smith Mountain Lake this summer (2008)

Many E. coli strains are harmless and live in the intestines normally. The E. coli O157:H7 strain is one that can cause severe illness to humans.

Symptoms of infection due to E. coli O157:H7 are Abdominal crampsNon- bloody diarrheaHemolytic uremic syndrome**Only in rare cases

Determination of E. coliPurpose- To determine if E. coli and total

coliforms are present in the water samples obtained.

The method used is Colilert™.

Total ColiformsTotal coliforms are simply bacteria associated

with animal or human waste. The wells turn a light to bright yellow when total

coliforms are present.

E. coliThe wells fluoresce under UV light when E.coli is

present.

E.coliFor drinking water Virginia does not allow

any E.coli to be present after treatment.

The Commonwealth of Virginia standard for recreational/potable water is 126 MPN E. coli per 100 mL of water.

Due to warm-blooded animals such as ducks and beavers, it is very unlikely that SML will have zero E. coli without being treated first.

E. coliCurrently the bacteria counts have provided

optimistic ??results.

There have been no samples that surpassed the state’s legal limit.

However, Smith Mountain Lake Yacht Club and Ponderosa Campground should continue to be monitored closely due to higher levels of E. coli found this summer (2008).

ARA

Antibiotic Resistant AssayPurpose- To determine if any fecal matter is

present in the water samples, and if so what the source of the matter is.

Also, it determines which bacteria have resistance to the antibiotics we tested.

Antibiotics UsedAmoxicillin – AMXCephalothin- CEPChlortetracycline – CTCErythromycin – ERYOxytetracycline – OTCNeomycin – NEOStreptomycin – STRTetracycline – TETVancomycin - VAN

ARAThe June 2008 ARA data has been compiled

and assessed.

The results show that the main sources of fecal matter are livestock and wildlife. There were very few traces of human and domestic fecal matter present.

Bedford County Tribs June 2008CountRow %

Domestic Human Livestck Wildlife

Domestic 3574.47

00.00

00.00

1225.53

47

Human 20.47

35884.24

4811.29

174.00

425

Livestck 10.15

436.24

61288.82

334.79

689

T11 00.00

39.38

1237.50

1753.13

32

T12 2356.10

12.44

1024.39

717.07

41

T13 2552.08

12.08

48.33

1837.50

48

T14 1022.73

00.00

1738.64

1738.64

44

T15 3063.83

00.00

510.64

1225.53

47

T16 1226.67

36.67

1124.44

1942.22

45

T17 00.00

714.58

3777.08

48.33

48

Wildlife 275.82

224.74

7516.16

34073.28

464

165 438 831 496 1930

Bedford County TribsCurrent Percentages for Bedford County Tribs:

Domestic : 8.5 %Human : 22.7 %Wildlife : 25.7 %Livestock: 43.1 %

Questions