August 29, 2002
Sierra Club Calls For Making Our Beaches Safer
State Bacteria Standard Exceeded In 69% of Samples
CHICAGO, Ill. (August 29, 2002) - Sierra Club today released the results of Lake Michigan water testing done this summer that shows that a key state standard for bacteria was exceeded in 69% of the samples taken at four beaches in Chicago, Evanston, and Wilmette.
"Despite the best efforts of the local municipalities, water safety at our public beaches remains uncertain," said Michele Gurgas, coordinator of the Sierra Club, Chicago Group's Water Sentinels Project. "Our study clearly indicates that more safeguards are needed to keep pollution out of the Lake and to better warn swimmers when conditions are unsafe."
The Sierra Club, Chicago Group's Water Sentinels project examined water samples taken on a weekly basis from Gillson Beach in Wilmette, Lee Street Beach in Evanston, and Chicago's Montrose Beach, and 63rd Street Beach between May and August 2002. Samples were collected by volunteers and analyzed by a commercial laboratory.
A total of 32 samples were collected along the four beaches with 22 samples, or 69% of all samples collected, exceeding the Illinois Department of Public Health standard of 500 colony forming units per 100 milliliters.
Sierra Club volunteers found bacteria levels that exceeded the state standard 50% of the time at 63rd Street Beach, 75% of the time at Montrose Beach, 82% of the time at Lee Street Beach, and 64% of the time at Gillson Beach.
Several sources of contamination are responsible for polluting Lake Michigan shoreline. In most cases, the bacteria and viruses that cause illness enter the lake water from animal and human waste. The waste makes its way to lake water through runoff, septic systems, leaking waste water pipes, and releases of sewage from wastewater treatment plants. People can become infected by swimming in or drinking water that has been contaminated with sewage or has not been properly treated.
Whenswimmingin contaminated water the bacteria can enter the body through the mouth, nose, ears, or cuts in the skin. Once the bacteria are inside the body, they travel through the stomach and small intestines where they cause inflammation and symptoms such as abdominal pain,severe cramps,bloody diarrhea, andvomiting.
To better protect beachgoers in future swimming seasons, the Sierra Club recommends the following improvements to beach closing and testing procedures along all of Illinois' Lake Michigan beaches:
- Disinfect Wastewater: The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District should begin disinfecting treated sewage before allowing it to be dumped into the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. On August 21 and 22, heavy rains forced the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to release an estimated 1 billion gallons of untreated storm water and wastewater into Lake Michigan. Disinfection is a standard practice in other cities and states, and would remove significant levels of bacteria from the cityís wastewater.
- Implement Predictive Closing Practices: Following last weekís rainfall, the Chicago, Evanston, and Wilmette closed their beaches for an extended period because of the known risk. This practice of proactively closing beaches when unsafe conditions are likely should be expanded to include other, less severe events.
- Adopt Uniform Beach Testing Methods: Currently, water-testing practices are inconsistent among cities, Cook County and State of Illinois. The BEACH Act, an amendment to the federal Clean Water Act, authorizes the EPA to award grants to states to help them implement effective monitoring programs in recreational waters. Governmental units in the region should develop consist water quality and beach closure practices along all of Lake Michigan.
The Sierra Club expects to release a full report on the study this winter, including more detailed recommendations on how citizens and local municipalities can work together to improve water quality along our Lake Michigan beaches.
