Due to continuing major concerns about bacteria in the water, there will be no tubing or swimming in the Chattahoochee River for at least another week.

The 15-mile stretch from the Big Creek Water Reclamation Treatment Facility downstream remains closed because of high levels of E. coli.

“It’s not the highest levels that we’ve recorded, but it’s the highest level that I’ve seen in this type of situation,” said the river keeper Jason Ulseth.

He said it was a malfunction at the treatment plant located in Roswell that allowed untretaed sewage to navigate into the river, raising E. coli levels in the Chattahoochee and making the water unsafe.

According to Ulseth, they are using an interesting method to help clean the water.

“They have to grow biologic bugs that are going to eat the sewage, and that just takes time,” he said.

Ulseth said that they are introducing bugs from other treatment plants which should expedite the process.

More rain should also help, but there is still no firm timeline on when the river might reopen.