CHICAGO (AP) — University of Illinois at Chicago researchers and park district officials say they’ve come up with a way to keep swimmers out of Chicago’s lakefront when there is too much bacteria.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that public health experts and park officials have struggled for decades with when to shutter beaches to protect swimmers from illness-causing bacteria such as E. coli.
A team at the university conducted same-day tests of the water this summer. The effort has allowed the park district to post alerts based on 4-hour-old data.
Testing used to take up to 24 hours, meaning lifeguards advised people about the water based on conditions from the day before.
National Resources Defense Fund officials say they hope Chicago’s program will be a model for other cities with waterfronts.
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