High E. coli levels trigger water contact warning on Lake Michigan beach

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (WOOD) — Health officials in Oceana County have issued a water contact warning for Lighthouse Beach on Lake Michigan in Silver Lake State Park.

The Michigan Public Health Act Set the water quality standard for E. coli at 300 bacteria per 100 milliliters for each daily measurement and 130 bacteria per 100 ml for a 30-day average.

Two of the three samples collected on Tuesday had levels well below the limit, but one sample had 980 bacteria, which triggered the warning message.

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy posted the warning on its BeachGuard page, but did not provide any information on the cause of the high bacteria levels.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionMost types of E. coli are harmless, but some can make you sick. Infections from these bacteria can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and even sepsis.

“Swimming or other water activities during periods of high bacterial levels increase the risk of becoming ill due to contamination,” said District Health Office No. 10 said in a social media post“Children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk.”

Lighthouse Beach is one of seven active beach warnings in the state of Michigan, but the only one in West Michigan. There are also two warnings in Cheboygan County and Oakland County and one each in Arenac County and Macomb County.

Health officials urge visitors to monitor their social media pages and EGLE’s BeachGuard website for updates.