In the province of **Entre Ríos**, the cities of **Concordia, Colón, and Federación** face worrying levels of pollution on some of their beaches. According to the **Administrative Commission of the Uruguay River (CARU)**, **high concentrations of bacteria** were detected, such as *Escherichia coli*, which pose a significant risk to public health.
Indeed, the most alarming case is that of **Los Sauces Beach** in Concordia, which significantly exceeded the allowed limits of bacteria in the water. Recent monitoring reported 1680 CFU/100 mL of *Escherichia coli*, **1300% above the established maximum (126 CFU/100 mL)**. Furthermore, the average of five consecutive measurements reached 692 CFU/mL, exceeding the tolerable limit by 550%. For this reason, the red flag has been raised, **prohibiting access to the water**.
On the other hand, CARU’s monitoring revealed that other beaches in Concordia also present worrying levels of pollution, such as **Las Palmeras Beach**, where 190 CFU/mL of *Escherichia coli* and 58 CFU/mL of enterococci were recorded, prompting surveillance for possible algal blooms. Additionally, at **Sol Beach**, lower levels were found, with 10 and 40 CFU/mL of *Escherichia coli*, but 64 and 21 CFU/mL of enterococci, along with signs of green algae in the water.
In contrast, **Los Sauces Beach** not only presents alarming levels of *Escherichia coli*, but also of **enterococci**, with readings of 144 and 145 CFU/mL in the latest samples.
## Pollution Parameters and Allowed Limits
The limit for the presence of *Escherichia coli* is 126 CFU/100 mL, while for enterococci, it should not exceed 33 CFU/100 mL, according to CARU standards. The measurements at Los Sauces Beach, and to a lesser extent at other beaches, **significantly exceed these values**, posing a health risk.
The report’s results revealed that the situation at Los Sauces Beach requires an immediate response. Therefore, **authorities recommend avoiding swimming and closely monitoring until contamination levels decrease**. These measures are essential to protect visitors’ health and prevent diseases related to contact with contaminated water.
## What is Escherichia coli and what are its symptoms?
*Escherichia coli* (E. coli) is a bacterium that can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and other symptoms. The symptoms **can range from mild to severe**. E. coli symptoms include:
– Diarrhea, often with blood
– Abdominal pain
– Fever, usually low-grade
– Nausea and vomiting
– Fatigue
– Gas
– Loss of appetite
The symptoms typically appear **between 1 and 10 days after exposure to the bacteria, but often between 3 and 4 days**. For diagnosis, a stool sample must be sent to a laboratory. This disease can be prevented by thoroughly cooking ground meat, consuming pasteurized milk and dairy products, washing hands with soap after using the bathroom, and in this case, avoiding beaches contaminated with this bacterium.
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