As if the City of Stockton hasn’t been through enough in recent years, add “stinky water” to the list of ailments plaguing the Central Valley city.
KCRA reports recent water samples taken from Stockton’s waterfront show traces of e-coli and algae, which also turned the water green.
When we did recent testing, E. coli levels came back elevated beyond our benchmark for recreational use,” said Stockton spokeswoman Connie Cochran.
The city posted signs along the Stockton Waterfront warning people that they should not go swimming or fishing.
The city said the E. coli bacteria may be a result of animal feces.
Yuck.
KCRA 3 showed water containing thick algae with the consistency of cottage cheese. The city said it has been testing the water weekly since then, and it has hired a contractor to remove debris from the water each week.
So what do you do when your water has gone stinky? Naturally, you blame Mother Nature
“It’s the drought," said Cochran. "There is no water. Levels are so low with no churn in the channel, and so what we really need is rain."