May 27, 2009: 20 Triathletes Become Ill After Competing In Oklahoma Event

May 27th, 2009

Murray Evans of the Associated Press writes that at least 20 athletes became ill after competing in the Boathouse International Triathlon, held in Oklahoma City, earlier this month.  According to public health officials, the event included a swim in the Oklahoma River, which at the time had high fecal coliform counts.

Symptoms of the athletes’ illness included diarrhea, vomiting, fever and abdominal pain.

Oklahoma State Department of Health spokesperson, Leslea Bennett-Webb, advises that participants of the 09 Boathouse International Triathlon should contact their personal doctor if they are experiencing symptoms.  Illnesses should be reported to the health department.

The following quotes are taken from Mr. Evans’ article.  There is only one question and that is “What were event planners and city officials thinking?”

Debbie Ragan, a spokeswoman for Oklahoma City’s Utilities Department, said water samples taken on May 15 near the swim course showed an E. coli count of 573 per 100 milliliters of water. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board said standards for “primary body contact recreation,” in which there is a chance water could be ingested, is a 126 count for E. coli.    …………

Knopp said the May 15 testing was taken into consideration before the race, but the bacteria levels appeared to be dropping and the decision was made to go forward with the event.

He said previous testing indicated the river’s water quality was generally good for swimming but could vary, depending on weather events.

Todd Brewer, the city of Oklahoma City’s water quality lab manager, said the bacteria sample seemed elevated in water samples taken from the river after big rain storms. Parts of Oklahoma City received up to two inches of rain the day before the event.

“We’re learning as we go,” Knopp said. “We certainly don’t want to get anybody sick.”

Bret Sholar, the race director, said officials closely monitored the conditions and decided to go ahead and conduct the event because the water flow appeared safe, there was no debris in the river and it was a championship-caliber competition.

“Every first-year race has its issues,” Sholar said. “Unfortunately ours was people becoming sick.”

Before the triathlon, Derek Smithee, the water quality division chief of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, said a six-mile section of the river near the boathouse is listed by the state as “impaired” because of fecal coliform, sulfates and turbidity.

Smithee said the ranking didn’t mean the water wasn’t safe for swimming.

“It’s probably more dangerous to drive to the Oklahoma River than to swim in the Oklahoma River,” Smithee said at the time.

Mr Evans ends his article with the following information:

The river opened to the public in December 2004. According to the city’s Web site, swimming is not allowed in the river.

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