In
September, 2003, the Barry-Eaton District Health Department was awarded an
inland lakes beach monitoring grant for its “BE in the SWIM:
Barry-Eaton Surface Water Impact Monitoring” program.
This program involves the routine collection of water samples from May 1
through September 30, 2004, at specified public beaches within Barry and Eaton
counties to assess whether the Escherichia
coli (E. coli) levels allow for safe swimming. Samples are generally collected one foot below the surface in
water that is between three and six feet deep.
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Water Laboratory in
Lansing uses standard methods to perform the E. coli analyses. Results
are available the afternoon following the date of collection and can be accessed
by the public through the Michigan Public Beach and Waterway Information website
at www.deq.state.mi.us/beach.
The Barry-Eaton District Health Department monitors
the following public beaches:
Barry County -
Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Gun Lake) – Main Beach
Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Gun Lake) – Old Beach
Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Gun Lake) – Campground Beach
Charlton Park Beach (Thornapple Lake)
Prairieville
Township Park (Gull Lake)
Eaton County -
Fox Memorial Park
Lincoln Brick Park
Results are available the afternoon following the
date of collection and can be accessed by the public through the Michigan Public
Beach and Waterway Information website at www.deq.state.mi.us/beach.
When you visit this website, you
will find two different sets of data available for your review:
A daily
geometric mean
is calculated from the three samples collected on a particular day.
A beach will be posted with a swimming advisory if the daily geometric
mean is above 300 E. coli per 100 milliliters of water.
A 30-day
geometric mean
is calculated from five sampling events (three samples per event) over a 30-day
period. A beach will be posted with
a swimming advisory if the 30-day geometric mean is above 130 E.
coli per 100 milliliters of water.
Once a swimming advisory is
posted, the advisory will remain posted until the water quality standards
indicated above are met. Water is a
hostile environment to bacteria; E. coli
generally do not live long in the water. Factors
such as wind and wave action, as well as ultraviolet light from the sun, will
help to reduce the level of bacteria. The length of time this takes is unpredictable.
At a minimum, an advisory will remain posted until the next routine
sampling event is conducted and test results are received and reviewed
(typically about one week later).
E.
coli
bacteria live in the digestive systems of humans and other warm-blooded animals.
Therefore, they are found in sewage and other wastewater.
Most strains are not dangerous, but they can indicate the presence of
other disease-causing bacteria.
There are a variety of sources that contribute bacteria to
our surface water, such as illicit waste connections to storm sewers or roadside
ditches; malfunctioning onsite sewage disposal systems (septic systems);
combined and sanitary sewer overflows; storm runoff; wild and domestic animal
waste; and agricultural runoff. Because of these overflows and runoffs, the risk of
contracting disease through swimming is greater during the two-to-three days
immediately following major rainstorms.
Epidemiological
studies of fresh water bathing beaches have established a direct relationship
between the density of E. coli in
water and the occurrence of swimming-associated gastroenteritis.
If you suspect someone is ill from swimming, contact your physician’s
office as soon as possible. If this person was swimming at one of the seven beaches being
monitored by the health department, please also report this information to the
health department at 517-541-2615.
Often our everyday activities can unintentionally
contribute to water quality degradation. The
following are things we all can do to help improve beach water quality:
·
Conserve the amount of water you use.
Extra water overwhelms sewage treatment plants, especially during heavy
rains, and contributes to combined sewer overflows.
Excessive water usage can also cause premature failure of onsite sewage
disposal systems.
·
Make certain that all of the sewage and wastewater from your
home or business is directed to a sanitary sewer or a properly functioning and
approved onsite septic system.
·
Properly operate and maintain your onsite septic system.
Discharges from malfunctioning septic systems can impact beach water
quality. Septic system maintenance
information is available from the health department.
·
Disconnect your gutter downspouts from underground drains
and divert the discharge away from your house.
·
Discharge boat and recreational vehicle waste only at
approved disposal locations.
·
Dispose of household chemicals, automotive fluid waste, and
other household hazardous waste properly. DO
NOT dispose of these materials in storm drain catch basins or on the ground
surface. Use non-toxic alternatives
when possible. Contact the health
department for household hazardous waste collection information.
·
When washing cars, direct wash water away from streets and
storm drains. Try washing your car
on the lawn.
·
Repair vehicles in areas where leaks and spills cannot flow
to a strom drain but can be contained and cleaned up properly.
Yes, you can, but it is important to understand that
random, individual samples are not reliable indicators of water quality.
A sampling schedule should be established for a minimum of 30 days in
order to calculate a seasonal geometric average.
Swimmer’s itch is a dermatitis that can develop on parts
of the body that have been exposed to lake water.
Reddened spots, called papules, form on the body within hours after
exposure and will itch intensely for several days before subsiding.
After approximately one week, the symptoms usually disappear.
In severe cases, a person can develop a fever, become nauseated, and
spend several sleepless nights suffering from intense itching.
Swimmer’s itch is caused by
aquatic parasites (flatworms) that naturally cycle between two different hosts,
most commonly snails and ducks. Unfortunately,
the parasite stages released from snails are unable to distinguish duck skin
from human skin. When they
accidentally penetrate into the skin of a sensitive individual, the parasites
are unable to pass through the epidermis. They
soon die, causing an allergic reaction ending with the formation of a papule
(i.e., an itchy spot).
Although extremely annoying and
discomforting, swimmer’s itch is not a communicable or fatal disease.
Over-the-counter drugs are available to reduce the effects of swimmer’s
itch. Antihistamines can be used to
help relieve the itching while topical steroid creams may help to reduce the
swelling. Before taking any of these drugs, however, consult your
physician or dermatologist for advice.
If you contract swimmer’s itch from swimming at one of the seven beaches being monitored by the health department, please report this information to the health department at 517-541-2615.
