The waterfront at Bluebell Beach is closed until further notice after high levels of E.coli were found amid testing at the Genesee Township facility.
Genesee County Parks and Recreation issued a statement Tuesday, June 4 advising the waterfront would remain closed until further notice, but the splash pad and park will stay open.
Three test samples taken on Monday, June 3 at the beach off Bray Road, between Coldwater and Carpenter roads, showed level of 461, 579, and 325 E.coli per 100 milliliters, for a daily mean of 442.768 that’s led to a closure advisory by the Genesee County Health Department.
Guidelines used by the Michigan Department of Community Health and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality — as provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — note all state waters used for total body contact should not contain more than 130 E.coli per 100 milliliters.
Compliance to the rule is based on individual samples taken during five or more sampling events over a 30-day period.
Sampling events consist of three or more samples taken at locations in a defined sampling area, according to the department’s Water Resources Protection Act.
The act also states “At no time shall the water of the state protected for total body contact recreation contain more than a maximum of 300 E. coli per 100 ml” per a single sample.
Exposure to elevated bacteria levels in swimming water has been linked to health risks such as digestive and skin problems. Swimming after rain and runoff can increase E. coli exposure.
Read more at https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2019/06/high-ecoli-level-closes-waterfront-at-bluebell-beach.html.