For years, Navy SEALs have trained in sewage-contaminated water. But exactly how it’s impacted the health of members from one of our most elite forces has remained unknown, until now. A report from the Inspector General published a study that looked closely at the bacteria levels in the water. NBC 7’s Jeanette Quezada explains what they found.
For years, Navy SEALs have trained in sewage-contaminated water, but exactly how it’s impacted the health of members have remained unknown, until now.
A report from the Inspector General published a study that looked more closely at the water bacteria levels in the water. The findings in the report confirmed the high levels of bacteria in the water have exposed Navy SEALs to serious health risks during their training.
At the edge of the Navy SEAL compound in Cornell Shores, Joe Ditler said, “We see them in the ocean paddling frantically, racing from one end of the beach to the other, and then racing back.”
Ditler lives at the edge of the Navy SEAL compound in Cornell Shores. From his window, Ditler, gets a birds eye view of their extensive water training.
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“We see them swimming in all conditions,” Ditler said.
For some time, there’s been concerns about the bacteria levels in the water due to sewage contamination. A report released this month by the inspector general earlier this month revealed 76 percent of its test came back with bacteria surpassing safety levels.
More than eleven hundred cases of health issues among Navy SEALs were reported after training in the polluted water, including acute Gastrointestinal illnesses, such as nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
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“It just validates a lot of our concerns that everybody knows of all the time swimming here,” said Dr. Tom Csanadi, who has practiced medicine for 30 years. He’s very familiar with the ongoing sewage contamination because he lives in the South Bay.
“Most of the illnesses are going to be self-limiting and they’ll get better, but not all of them, and you can’t predict which ones will go on to cause hospitalization or chronic health problems,” Csanadi said.
In the report, the assistant Inspector General for Evaluations Programs advised the Command to develop a policy to monitor the water quality and relocate, reschedule, or cancel trainings when bacteria levels exceed health standards.
“It’s just a shame that everything else they're doing is being compounded now by the dirty water and all the bacteria and the things that are coming out of the Tijuana River and up the coast from Mexico,” Ditler said.
Ditler and others are hoping a fix comes fast or the Navy adheres to what is recommended to help keep members of one of our most elite fighting teams safe and healthy.
The command agreed to implement the recommendations by the end of this year but clarified that as a federal entity they also have to follow standard operating procedures.
