Date: For Immediate Release
June 1, 2001
Contact: Brian McKenzie, R.S.
Environmental Health Supervisor
Phone: (810) 257-3603 Fax: (810) 257-3125
THE ATTACHED SHEET LISTS PUBLIC BATHING BEACH E. COLI BACTERIA LEVELS FOR GENESEE COUNTY LAKES.
At this time the Genesee County Health Department continues to advise against total body contact (swimming) at Thread Lake, in the City of Flint, due to samples exceeding State guidelines for bacterial concentrations at bathing beaches.
Marl Lake in Fenton Township, which had previous elevated bacteria levels, has returned to compliance with State guidelines.
Exposure to any recreational water can be a potential health risk. Gastrointestinal and dermatological illnesses have been associated with recreational water exposure.
Your Genesee County Health Department utilizes the following rules to interpret the E. coli test results (By authority conferred on the director of public health by section 12544 of Act No. 368 of the Public Acts of 1978, as amended, being S333.12544 of the Michigan Compiled Laws) :
R 325.2102 Sanitation and safety determinations.
Rule 2. (1) Bacterial concentrations in water at a bathing beach, as determined by standard methods, shall contain not more than 130 Escherichia coli (E. coli) per 100 milliliters, as a 30-day geometric mean. Compliance shall be based on the geometric mean of all individual samples taken during 5 or more sampling events representatively spread over a 30-day period. Each sampling event shall consist of 3 or more samples taken at representative locations within a designated sampling area. Bathing beach waters shall not contain more than a maximum of 300 E. coli per 100 milliliters. Compliance shall be based on the geometric mean of 3 or more samples taken during the same sampling event at representative locations within a defined sampling area.
Bacterial Concentrations of Escherichia coli per 100 milliliters
Locations Twenty-One Day Geometric Mean Sampling Event Exceeding 300
Barnum Lake 64 -
Buell Lake Boat Ramp 6 -
Byram Lake 57 -
Covenant Hill Camp 24 -
Copneconic Camp 3 -
Crane Lake 27 -
Crooked Lake 81 -
Dollar Lake 21 -
Fenton Lake - DNR Boat Dock 8 -
- South End 7 -
- Twp. Hall 4 -
Hasler Lake Campground 12 -
Holloway Reservoir - Buttercup Beach 1 -
- Walleye Pike Dock 1 -
Kearsley Reservoir 25 -
Lake Helene 12 -
Lake Linda 4 -
Lake Ponemah 58 -
Linden Mill Pond 38 -
Lobdell Lake 62 -
Loon Lake 106 -
Marl Lake 125 -
McCaslin Lake 3 -
McKane Lake 2 -
Mott Lake - Bluebell Beach 30 -
- Bluegill Boat Ramp 7 -
Myers Lake 3 -
Pine Lake 5 -
Potter Lake 5 -
Lake Shinangaug 8 -
Silver Lake - Marina 3 -
- Beach 19 -
Squaw Lake 19 -
Thread Lake *323 -
West Sister Lake 2 -
*Exceeded State guideline of 130 E. Coli per 100 ml
**Exceeded State guideline of 300 E. Coli per 100 ml