Bathing Beaches

Where We Sample

We sample 2 locations along Lake Erie in Monroe County: Luna Pier Beach and Sterling State Park.

When We Sample

From one to two weeks before Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend. Each Tuesday samples are collected at the two Lake Erie beach locations, three samples taken per location at different areas of the beach.

What We Test for & When Results Are Available

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality certified laboratory that we use tests for E.coli per 100 milliliters of water. The Michigan Public Health Code has issued the following guidelines for total body contact with water containing E.coli:

• 130 E.coli colonies per 100 milliliters of water as a geometric mean of all samples collected over a 30-day period.
• 300 E.coli colonies per 100 milliliters of water as a geometric mean of all samples collected at a beach during one sampling event.

Sample results are available on the Monroe County website by 5 pm Thursday afternoon each week of sampling, and also on Beachguard.

Advisories

When sample levels have risen above the Michigan Public Health Code guideline for E.coli levels in surface water, a full body contact advisory for the appropriate body of water or bathing beach will be issued by the Monroe County Health Department. A whole body contact advisory means that persons should not immerse their heads under water or enter the water with scrapes or cuts which may expose them to E.coli bacteria.

Posting of Signs

In accordance with the bathing beach monitoring law that went into effect on March 31, 2003, all owners of public bathing beaches are responsible for posting a sign that states whether the beach water has been tested. If yes, the posting must indicate where results of the water testing are available to the public.

Guidelines for Total Body Contact of Surface Water

The Michigan Public Heath Code has issued the following guidelines for total body contact with water containing Escherichia coli (E.coli):

• 300 E.coli colonies per 100 milliliters of water as a geometric mean of all samples collected at a beach during one sampling event.
• 130 E.coli colonies per 100 milliliters of water as a geometric mean of all samples collected over a 30-day period.

When water sample results exceed these guidelines, the Monroe County Health Department recommends persons avoid full body contact with that particular
body of water until further test results indicate E.coli levels have dropped below the levels listed above.

The Monroe County Health Department, Environmental Health Division provides the service of water testing and monitoring in at selected Lake Erie beach areas. Other beach owners have the option of sampling their waters and must submit those sample results if they elect to sample.

Beach Samples

Please note: Number of E.coli colonies per 100 milliliters of water Daily Geometric Mean/30 Day Geometric Mean.