Paddlers exploring Illinois rivers may be under the impression that sewage treatment plants always disinfect their effluents before release to our rivers. Several years ago, to reduce the amount of chlorine (toxic) added to the river systems the State Pollution Control Board changed the responsibility of the treatment plants so that they would not have to disinfect the water for fecal coliform and its accompanying bacteria, viruses and parasites during what they perceived as the non-recreational period of the year; Nov. 1st through the last day of April. The volume of effluent added to a river can be appreciable. The DuPage River at low flow receives 37% of its flow from sewage treatment plant effluent. The increased risk of the non-disinfected sewage flow should be of concern to every paddler paddling in March, April and early May the most popular paddling months of the year. (or those hardy souls who do winter paddling.)

This change in the disinfection of sewage came to light at a watershed planning conference. I was complaining about the incomplete data I was receiving from the sewage treatment plants that I monitor on the DuPage for the DuPage River Coalition. What I had thought was a change in reporting obligations by the STPs turned out to be the complete absence of disinfection of the effluent of the 17 major plants on the DuPage river.

Several other revelations of the day; of importance to any one traveling the rivers of Illinois are:

• Sewage plant dry weather flow effluents may be exempted from disinfection on a year-round basis if no recreational use potential exists in the receiving stream. We use a lot of river sections in Illinois that are not specifically marked as recreational areas.
• Total, year-round relief from disinfection is therefore limited to non-swimable, non-canoeable streams down state where large tracts of agricultural land make incidental contact unlikely.
• Discharges to canals are not disinfected.
• Streams in urban areas or streams flowing through parks and recreation areas must meet the fecal coliform standard to protect the public from incidental contact. However almost all STPs in Illinois now receive the exemption.

Illinois treatment standards regarding disinfection differ from one part of the state to another. It is unlikely that we can be sure that a river is being disinfected from our canoes. It is also unlikely we will know when the river on which we are traveling in early May is flushed clean (in the eddies especially), after six months of untreated sewage flowing in the river.

Paddlers frequenting the South Bend whitewater course during low flow periods in late summer report nasal infection and flu like symptoms that persist for a lengthy period after contact with the water of that facility.

A Chicago paddler contracted a reoccurring illness, called histoplasmosis, during kayak rolling sessions at Beck Lake. The fungus spores found in the geese droppings (in the water) brought on the disease, which seriously threatened his health and took his doctor almost a year to diagnose.

Though the examples are unrelated to Illinois sewage treatment, the threat of untreated sewage suggests new additions to the medical kits of paddlers to protect against the dangers of contact with river water throughout the year. Hazards such as untreated livestock runoff, septic system seepage into field tiles draining into the river and the incomplete effects of chloridation (even when it is being applied) should be a year round concern to all of river users. (see sidebar on water safety for paddlers)

From the book The Clean Water Act 20 Years Later, published by the Natural Resources Defense Council a survey quoted on page 38 of the book states:

• A recent survey of the raw water supply for 66 treatment plants in fourteen states and one Canadian province reported the presence of Cryptosporidia or Giardia in 97 percent of the samples, and a high correlation between the presence of these organisms and industrial and sewage discharges and other indications of poor water quality.
• Cryptosporidia in the water supply was responsible for the illnesses of thirteen thousand people in Carrollton, Georgia in 1987, and 183,000 illnesses of people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1993 where some deaths were recorded among patients with previously diminished capacity of their immune systems. In 1985 in Pittsfield , Massachusetts, giardia in the water supply caused 38,000 illnesses in the population similar to the threat experienced by paddlers in wilderness areas such as the BWCA., but unlike giardia, not all harmful organisms can be filtered. Some, especially those down into the viral range, need to be purified before they are removed and the water made safe.

The threat is real and paddlers responsible for other family members should take the new changes in sewage treatment into consideration. The information and warning here is for the well being of paddlers. And the recommended procedures are only an opening for discussion of what is the best and safest way to treat river water that we come in contact with, incidentally or through the occasional upset which paddlers experience. There are some people allergic to certain antibiotics and chemicals. These factors must influence the families choices of what to put in their medical kits and the products named in the sidebar are examples only of products used by others. Check with your doctor if allergies are a problem, suggest a test of products new to your kit and ask your doctor how to go about it.

Before going to the river

• Have your family vaccinated for:
  • Diphtheria
  • Hepatitis
  • Cholera
  • Typhoid
  • Tetanus
  
  These are suggestions from two individuals doing water quality testing professionally, check with your doctor.
• Pack disinfectant soap, disinfectant wipes, Baby Fresh or stronger alcohol wipes.
• Anti bacterial cream and beta iodine wipes for wound treatment.
• Disinfectant mouthwash, noseclips, swimmers goggles and possibly earplugs for kayak rolling or other immersion activities.
  These are only suggestions of what possibly could help but perhaps it would be better to practice enders and rolls somewhere other than the outflow pipe of an Illinois Sewage Treatment plant before May.

Before handling food or caring for others.

• Wash hands after contact with water and before handling food.
• Do not wash dishes in river water, disinfect if immersed with cup of bleach in one gallon of water for ten minutes. An old girl scout trick for washing dishes in cold water.
• Shower as soon as possible using a disinfectant soap if upset. Nasal sprays and mouthwash may give some beneficial results if used soon after the upset occurs. Check the labels and your doctor.

Use discretion if someone in your family has a weak immune system when choosing to canoe a river that is not being disinfected.

Fishing in untreated rivers.

• A consumers union survey in 1992 indicated that half of the fish surveyed were contaminated with bacteria from either animal or human feces from fish handling .
• The survey also reported that thoroughly cooked fish even if contaminated will not make you sick. Should you eat your catch? I wouldn't without checking with a local source on the river as to the safety of consuming the fish in the river. But then I am not a fisherman.