Scum floats on the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg on Aug. 4, 2023. The Susquehanna is the larest tributary to the Chesapeake Bay.
Rachel McDevitt / StateImpact Pennsylvania
Parts of Susquehanna River Near Harrisburg Deemed “Not Fit” for Swimming or Fishing Due to High Bacteria Levels
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Asia Tabb
Rachel McDevitt / StateImpact Pennsylvania
Scum floats on the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg on Aug. 4, 2023. The Susquehanna is the larest tributary to the Chesapeake Bay.
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The Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association (LSRA) has sounded an alarm for outdoor enthusiasts this summer: several locations along the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg are currently unsafe for recreational activities like swimming, kayaking, and fishing due to dangerously high levels of E. coli and other bacteria.
“For the last seven years, our organization has taken the steps to monitor bacteria levels around our state capitol,” said Ted Evgeniadis, Executive Director of LSRA. “The city of Harrisburg has a combined sewer system. When it rains, those pipes are overwhelmed, and the excess volume—raw sewage mixed with stormwater—is discharged untreated into the Susquehanna River and Paxton Creek.”
Evgeniadis explained that the pollution stems from a variety of sources beyond Harrisburg’s aging infrastructure. Failing septic systems, pet waste, farm runoff, and even livestock directly defecating in creeks all contribute to elevated bacteria counts, especially following heavy rainfall. “When we get rain events and precipitation events, those flushes—whatever is flushing into our waterways—push bacteria levels well above safe limits.”
In response, LSRA has developed a volunteer-driven water monitoring program through its “Water Watchdogs” initiative. In 2024, they began testing 15 popular public access points across Lancaster, Dauphin, and York counties on a weekly basis between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Samples are analyzed in-house using EPA-approved methods, and the public is alerted within 24 hours about the safety of the water.
Evgeniadis said the results so far this summer have been troubling. “Most people are now pretty alarmed at the results we’re getting. This isn’t theoretical—it’s what we’re seeing in real time.”
The health risks of contact with contaminated water vary by person, but potential consequences include gastrointestinal illness, dysentery, or more serious infections from pathogens like E. coli, fecal coliform, and even hepatitis. “It’s not just E. coli,” Evgeniadis noted. “There’s a host of different pathogens that occur when we get these flushes of stormwater events.”
For those still eager to get on the water, Evgeniadis offered simple precautions: “Shower after getting out of the river. Avoid swimming with open cuts. Use hand sanitizer. And, most importantly, stay informed.”
LSRA posts weekly updates to help the public make informed decisions. “We’re not telling people they can’t get into the river. We’re giving them information to help them decide for themselves.”
But Evgeniadis emphasized that long-term solutions require costly infrastructure upgrades, particularly in Harrisburg, where some sewer pipes are over 100 years old and at high risk of failure. “A lot of what we’re dealing with right now is infrastructure that just really needs to be upgraded,” he said. “We need above-ground or underground storage tanks, improved treatment capabilities, and better regulations for companies now acquiring smaller treatment facilities.”
LSRA is also calling on citizens to take action, not just be informed. “Whether or not you care about the bacteria levels, the fact remains—we have a problem,” Evgeniadis said. “And we need more support to address it.”
For more information on the LSRA’s water quality monitoring program and weekly results, visit https://www.lowersusquehannariverkeeper.org.