GREENVILLE, N.C. — Sound Rivers’ water-quality testing results for January are in, and eight of the 13 sites tested failed this month.

“These results are not great, but not unexpected due to the heavy rains that occurred on Wednesday. Usually, when we see heavy rains, we can expect to see high bacteria levels for a few days after, given the rain is washing everything on land into the waterways,” said Sound Rivers’ Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper Jill Howell.

The year-round version of Swim Guide monitors 13 sites across the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico watersheds for E. coli bacteria in freshwater and enterococci bacteria in brackish or salt water, both of which can cause an increased risk of gastrointestinal illness and skin infections in humans and their pets. Sites are given a pass/fail designation based on federal and state water-quality standards.

In the Neuse River watershed, Buffaloe Road canoe launch in Raleigh, Clayton River Walk and Kinston’s N.C. Highway 11 boat ramp failed to meet recreational water-quality standards this month. On the Tar-Pamlico, Town Common and Port Terminal in Greenville, the Washington waterfront, Dinah’s Landing at Goose Creek State Park, and Cotton Patch Landing at Blounts Creek also failed.

This scaled-down version of the popular recreational water-quality program will run until Memorial Day 2023, when the summer program restarts. Sound Rivers tests more than 50 sites from Memorial Day to Labor Day, letting the public know where it’s safe to swim each Friday afternoon.

“We know that recreation in our waterways is not limited to the summer months, so we wanted to provide water-quality information all year-round,” Howell said.

Currently, water samples are being taken and tested from public-access points at Falls Lake and Buffaloe Road in Raleigh; the River Walk in Clayton; N.C. Highway 11 boat ramp in Kinston, Port Terminal, Town Common and Wildwood Park in Greenville; Havens Gardens or Washington waterfront and Dinah’s Landing at Goose Creek State Park, and Cotton Patch Landing at Blounts Creek also failed.

This scaled-down version of the popular recreational water-quality program will run until Memorial Day 2023, when the summer program restarts. Sound Rivers tests more than 50 sites from Memorial Day to Labor Day, letting the public know where it’s safe to swim each Friday afternoon.

“We know that recreation in our waterways is not limited to the summer months, so we wanted to provide water-quality information all year-round,” Howell said.

Currently, water samples are being taken and tested from public-access points at Falls Lake and Buffaloe Road in Raleigh; the River Walk in Clayton; N.C. Highway 11 boat ramp in Kinston, Port Terminal, Town Common and Wildwood Park in Greenville; Havens Gardens or Washington waterfront and Dinah’s Landing in Washington; Cotton Patch Landing on Blounts Creek; Lawson Creek and Glenburnie parks in New Bern; and off of Midyette Street in Oriental.

The next date results will be released is Feb. 23. They can be found at soundrivers.org/swimguide. To sign up for Swim Guide text alerts, text “SWIM” to 33222 to have results delivered weekly. For results in Spanish, text “NADAR” to 33222.

Based in Raleigh, New Bern and Washington, Sound Rivers has worked for more than 40 years to protect the health of the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico rivers and the communities that rely on them. The two watersheds cover nearly a quarter of North Carolina.

Sound Rivers’ Swim Guide program is sponsored by Grady-White Boats and The Greenville Rotary Club. For more information, visit soundrivers.org.