Eryn Witcher: Do we have anyone from USGS?
Tim Miller: Yes this is Tim Miller from USGS. I don’t think Tom Weimer is on the phone so let me provide our statement. Again I’m Tim Miller. I’m the Senior Advisor for Water Quality to the Director of USGS. We’ve been collaborating — as everyone has said — with USEPA and state officials doing sampling — most recently on Lake Pontchartrain — at about 30 sites from October 11 to 14. Our sample collection, in addition, has included sediment quality, water quality, and we’ve been looking at benthic organism health. Water samples analyzed by USGS indicate the safety of water for human contact. We’ve measured the number of colonies of intestinal bacteria — largely fecal and (terracocci) — in water. The bacteria come from intestines of humans and other warm-blooded animals and are found in sewage, flood waters, and in animal manure. Other chemicals and biological samples collected by USGS have also been analyzed for chemistry. The inner-agency response sampling is planned to be repeate
