By St. Clair County Health Department
The St. Clair County Health Department (SCCHD) has issued a swimming advisory for Holland Beach in Port Huron. This beach has been closed due to the elevated presence of E. coli. Keewahdin Beach in Fort Gratiot also remains closed. Water samples will be collected at these beaches until E. coli test results are within the acceptable water quality range as advised by the State of Michigan.
E. coli bacteria are a common microbe found in the digestive systems of warm-blooded animals, including humans, and can indicate the presence of fecal contamination. Beach goers should be aware elevated E. coli levels are possible after a storm or strong winds because bacteria are carried in storm water runoff, including drainage from creeks and ditches, and stirred up from waves.
Advisories for St. Clair County’s public beaches are shared on the SCCHD’s “St. Clair County Beaches” Facebook page and Michigan BeachGuard website at www.egle.state.mi.us/beach/.
For more information, visit www.scchealth.co or contact the SCCHD Environmental Health Division at (810) 987-5306. Follow us on social media @stclaircountybeaches.