Official: River Water Was Probably Safe For Flugtag Swimmers

Before Maria Smith of Riverview, jumped off the 30-foot platform at Red Bull Flugtag on Saturday, her mind was racing.

Smith, 26, and her roller derby team, the Tampa Bay Derby Darlins, had been there since 7:30 a.m. They were hot, dehydrated, pumped for their performance and nervous about the plunge. Water quality was not a concern.

"I was more worried about the jumping into the water," Smith said.

Although the Hillsborough River is not one of the 12 designated swimming areas in Hillsborough County, that didn't stop some people from jumping into the river to cool off, said Janelle McGregor, Tampa Police Department spokeswoman.

Flugtag attracted about 100,000 people and about 1,000 boats, and McGregor said many people saw the crowd and heat as a reason to take a dip.

Richard Boler, spokesman for the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County, said the Hillsborough River was probably safe to swim in based on the most recent water testing results.

Boler said based on levels of bacteria from July 8, the amount of runoff and sewage in the river was especially low for the rainy season. He stressed that bacteria levels fluctuate drastically from day to day.

Typically there is a higher amount of runoff from the roads or gardens during the summer because of rainfall; however, Boler said it greatly dilutes when it makes its way to the river. The river is at its worst around April and May, when the rainy season starts.

Out of the Flugtag swimmers, healthy individuals with strong immune systems probably won't have to worry, he said. Those who catch colds easily might have experienced cold symptoms a few days after their swim.

The only time to seriously worry about the water quality of the Hillsborough River would be if there was a major sewage, oil or pesticide leak, he said. On average, he said the river is relatively clean because Hillsborough County has good county health.

"By and large, people use swimming areas that are not approved, but for the most part they don't have problems associated with it," Boler said.

Boler said everyone should still be wary about where they swim. There are different standards and water testing for certain bodies of water. If harmful bacteria such as E. coli or enterococcus are in the water, it can cause diarrhea, ear infections or body sores that take longer than usual to heal.

Generally, he said the rule of thumb is to see whether anyone else is swimming in the water.

"It's all about who wants to be a guinea pig," Boler said, laughing.

With all the people in the water, Smith said after she got out of the river she did think about body fluids that might have been released, but she wasn't too concerned. She lived in Cleveland for four years and swam in Lake Erie without any problems.

"People are stronger than they think," she said. "I mean, I wouldn't throw my little baby in there, but I think my body is strong enough to fight off any bacteria in the water."