By The St. Clair County Health Department
The St. Clair County Health Department (SCCHD) resumed its Bathing Beach Monitoring Program. This program tests recreational waters at eight of the county’s public beaches for E. coli. Monitored beaches include: Lakeport State Park (Lakeport), Fort Gratiot County Beach (Fort Gratiot), Keewahdin Road Beach (Fort Gratiot), Lakeside Beach (Port Huron), Holland Road Beach (Port Huron), Lighthouse Beach (Port Huron), Chrysler Beach (Marysville), and Marine City Beach (Marine City).
In Michigan, beach monitoring is a non-mandated voluntary program for local health departments. SCCHD maintains this valuable service and remains committed to continuing the program through grant funding. The program’s goal is to keep the beaches of St. Clair County healthy and operating for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Water Quality Test Results
Test results can be found on the MiEnviro BeachGuard Website. Beaches are tested weekly May – September. Results are posted within 24 hours. In the event that an elevated result is received, additional testing will occur.
If a beach’s E. coli test results are above the acceptable water quality range as dictated by the State of Michigan Health Code, a Water Quality Advisory will be issued. SCCHD issues a media release announcing when a Water Quality Advisory is issued and when the notice has been lifted. These releases are shared on the SCCHD Website as well as posted on the Health Department’s Facebook page @scchdmi and the St. Clair County Beaches Facebook page @stclaircountybeaches.Signage will be posted at the affected beach(s) informing people that bacterial levels are unsafe for swimming.
Waterborne Illnesses
Contact with any recreational body of water, including man-made ones (pools, hot tubs, splash pads, etc.), introduces the risk of exposure to waterborne germs. Children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk for waterborne illnesses.
These germs can lead to ailments such as:
- Irritation of eyes, skin, or respiratory tract
- Swimmer’s ear
- Gastrointestinal illnesses
Reduce the risk of waterborne illnesses:
- Do not swim in water that smells foul, looks murky
- Avoid foam on surface water
- Dispose of trash, animal waste, and boat waste properly
- Use the restroom before swimmingÂ
- Do not swim immediately after heavy rain when E. coli levels may be highÂ
- Do not swallow lake waterÂ
- Vigorously towel off after swimmingÂ
- Wash your hands with soap and water before eatingÂ
- Shower as soon as possible
- Avoid contact with recreational waters if you have open sores or wounds
Although SCCHD does not test for PFAS through existing testing measures, individuals can take appropriate precautions to limit potential chemical contact by avoiding foam found on surface water. Learn more about PFAS exposure by visiting the MDHHS Website.
When deciding to swim or interact with any water body, use best judgment to reduce the risk of waterborne illnesses. Stay up to date with beach testing results by visiting the MiEnviro BeachGuard Website or calling the SCCHD Water Quality Tipline at 877-504-SWIM.
For more information on the St. Clair County Bathing Beach Monitoring Program, visit www.scchealth.co or contact the SCCHD Environmental Health Division at (810) 987-5306. Follow us on social media @scchealth.co.