West Stockbridge — Although the town’s annual Card Pond Party is iconic in the area, this year, that tradition won’t be followed.
The event was canceled June 14 and swimming at the popular recreation spot continues to be prohibited due to high levels of Escherichia coli (E. Coli) or harmful bacteria in the water. Pursuant to the town’s website, the local Board of Health will keep the pond closed until test results show safe levels of bacteria due to the risk of illness from coming into contact with water at the site. Notices were given June 25 and updated July 9.
The Berkshire Edge has reached out to the town’s health agent, as well as the chairperson for the West Stockbridge Board of Health, for more information but was told by Town Administrator Marie Ryan the health agent is only on staff on Fridays. The Berkshire Edge will provide updates when more information on the situation becomes available.
According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, E. coli bacteria can cause relatively brief diarrhea, with a few strains causing severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting.
During a July 25 visit to Card Pond, The Berkshire Edge noticed several droppings of what appeared to be animal feces on the grounds.
The Environmental Protection Agency website provides that pet waste contributes to the contamination of waterways through harmful bacteria such as E. Coli and fecal coliform. “Waters that contain a high amount of bacteria such as E. Coli are unfit for human contact,” the site states. “A single gram of pet waste contains an average of 23 million fecal coliform bacteria, some of which can cause disease in humans.”
