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WEBER COUNTY -- People who plan to camp at two separate campgrounds in Weber County will have to pack a little extra.
Campers are being told to bring their own water after E. coli was discovered in the water supply there.
The two camps, Camp Shawnee and Ben Lomond Stake Camp near the community of Liberty, are owned by the LDS Church.
The same water system is used at both camps, and tests have come back positive for coliform and E. coli bacteria. The source of the contamination has not been found.
- Severe stomach cramps and stomach tenderness
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
Health officials were alerted when two teenage girls became sick last weekend after camping at the sites.
Lori Buttars with the Weber-Morgan Health Department said, "About a week ago several individuals go to the doctors and to the emergency rooms with severe gastrointestinal problems."
Only the people attending the Shawnee Camp between Aug. 2 through Aug. 5 reported any illness. Still, health officials believe anyone who has been at the camp over the past couple of weeks should take precautions, especially when handling food.
"People who have been carrying the bacteria with them can shed it and spread it for two weeks after the symptoms have subsided, so it is important that they maintain vigilant hand washing and try not to prepare food actually if you have been sick," Buttars said.
LDS Church spokesperson Scott Trotter told KSL Monday night, "We are working with health officials as they investigate this matter and have put in place their recommendations to ensure the health and safety of campers."
That includes bringing in culinary water or using bottled water for drinking, cooking and hygiene, such as brushing teeth.
The water system is being treated with chlorine and will be tested and retested until health officials are sure the bacteria is removed from the water system.
If you are heading out to one of those campsites, be sure that you have plenty of bottled water.
Email: spenrod@ksl.com
