Due to high levels of E. Coli being detected, the Torrens Lake has been temporarily closed in the interests of public health and safety.
City of Adelaide has placed signage along the waterfront restricting any activities involving direct water contact until further notice.
Further testing will be carried out to monitor the levels of E-coli, which can cause serious illness.
Events within Elder Park such as Friday's night free concert by Pulp are not impacted by this closure.
We advise members of the public not to have any contact with the water until testing shows it is safe.
Background
Due to high levels of E. Coli within the Torrens Lake and in the interests of public health and safety, the Torrens Lake has been temporarily closed until it is safe to reopen.
Green Adelaide and SA Health have advised that, following an extended dry period, a recent discharge by SA Water from Kangaroo Creek Reservoir, combined with last weekend's small rainfall event, has likely flushed high levels of organic material from the urban catchment into the river system, contributing to the significantly elevated E. coli levels.
Signage has been placed along the waterfront of the Torrens Lake to restrict any activities involving direct water contact until further notice from the City of Adelaide.
Further testing will be carried out to further monitor the levels of Enterococci and E-coli, and pending the results, the Torrens Lake will remain closed for secondary contact activities until further notice.
Frequently asked questions
What does this mean for the free concert being held at Elder Park on Friday night?
Events within Elder Park are not impacted by this closure and Event organisers have been notified.
What is E.Coli?
E-Coli is a microorganism found in human, dog, bird or other warm-blooded animal faeces. It is the most specific indicator of a recent faecal contamination, and if present in water it can cause illness or diarrhoea.
Why was the lake closed?
When routine water tests conducted by SA Water show elevated levels of bacteria such as E-Coli we seek advice from SA Health. In this instance, we were advised to temporarily close the Torrens Lake. As part of the closure, our staff notify lake users such as rowing clubs, Pop Eye and BBQ Buoys
How long will the lake remain closed?
Further testing will be carried out to further monitor the levels of Enterococci and E-coli, and pending the results, the Torrens Lake will remain closed for secondary contact activities until further notice.
What do you want the public to do while the lake is closed?
We advise members of the public not to have any contact with the water until testing shows it is safe.
What has water testing shown?
Regular water sampling tests of the Torrens Lake were undertaken last Thursday and the results were negative. Further testing was conducted on Monday and these results confirmed the presence of high levels of E.Coli leading to the decision to close the lake for the foreseeable future in the interests of public safety.
What has caused the current situation?
January experienced a record period of low rainfall and extreme heat. SA Water last Friday opened Kangaroo Creek Reservoir to release water into the Torrens for ecological reasons. This was followed by some rainfall last weekend. It is believed that this has combined with the recent hot weather, low water flow and lack of oxygen in the water.
What role does CoA play in the health of the river? We invest a lot of time and money in ensuring the River Torrens is as clean as possible, noting we are just one of many councils with an interest in the river's health and we all work closely with Green Adelaide.
This includes monitoring water quality and marine life, trapping pollution, general catchment management such as planting and weed control, and adjusting flow levels utilising the Kangaroo Creek Reservoir.
We also work with the EPA on a regular dredging plan to help clean the river, with the most recent operation being conducted in late January to early February.
This latest incident again raises the importance of managing the River Torrens beyond the City of Adelaide's boundaries, particularly upstream, to prevent pollutants and sources of contamination from reaching the Torrens Lake - an ornamental water feature primarily used to mitigate flooding in the western suburbs.
