Spring Lake Closed - Who Crapped in the Water?

By Wildside Clyde

Rhode Islanders pride themselves as being from the “Ocean State” with plenty of swimming, boating and fishing to have an enjoyable summer. However, if you have been keeping up with local news, you may want to re-think your plans.

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This year, Rhode Island has suffered some low blows; like being rated nearly last for business climate, yet rated high for taxes. Re-electing insider Millionaires with no clue of the struggles of the working man like Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse or Linc Chaffee who view Rhode Island taxpayers as the whipping post of the state. Heck, Oakland Beach in Warwick was closed this year and has yet to make that economical comeback that was promised in the 1990’s.

Now a new Low - Spring Lake Beach was closed due to bacteria caused in the lake.  This bacteria is caused by the presence of fecal matter… there is no nice way of saying this, but “WTF!? Someone crapped in the water!!”

The bacteria in the water at Burrilville’s biggest beach have caused illness in 92 people, 16 of which required hospitalization.  The common symptoms include bloody diarrhea and fever from a human pathogen called SHIGELLA. The Health Department believes fecal matter of a single swimmer made everyone ill.  In other words- a baby crapped in the water the parents did not notice – As a father of four, I say “WTF!? How do you not notice”?

Here is some info regarding SHIGELLA for parents who don't know:
Shigellosis is most common during the summer months, usually affects kids two to four years old. Shigella, a form of E. coli, is a bacteria that can infect the digestive tract causing a wide range of symptoms; diarrhea, bloody stool, fever, cramping, vomiting, and nausea. 

My question is how does a parent not notice these signs?  Who does not notice that their child has severe diarrhea; I say “WTF kind of parent does not notice their kid is ill and goes to the beach for the despite their child’s discomfort?” Also, that beach is designed for around 600 to 800 people, and on the day in question there were an estimated 1,200 to 2,100 people…another “WTF!?”

I stopped going to the ocean beaches in 1988 after medical waste washed up on shore, now in 2013, I will stop going to lake beaches after parents allow babies to crap in the lake.