The St. Clair County Health Department (SCCHD) has issued a swimming advisory for Keewahdin Beach in Fort Gratiot after tests found an elevated presence of E coli in the water.
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.
Water samples will be collected at this beach until E. coli test results are within the acceptable water quality range as advised by the State of Michigan.
Beach goers should be aware elevated E. coli levels are possible after a storm or strong winds because bacteria are carried in stormwater 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.
