Suggestions for Great-Lakes Water

["Raj Sinha" <rsinha@co.wayne.mi.us>]

Wayne County is conducting water sampling for the great lakes beaches since 1994 for e.coli bacteria.  Based on the collected data, the following are comments or suggestions:
        
1.  Sometimes it is difficult to get the water sampling results from lab within 36 hours.  This 36 hours limit is the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) condition set by the state.  In order to supply the result within time frame,  effort should be made so that lab can provide results in timely manner.  May be a new procedure should be developed to determine e.coli level in timely manner.  Focus should be given on an instant reading that provide an indication that water quality is not good (safe) for recreation activities including swimming.  This way a beach can be close and an advisory can be issued at the same time.

2.  Currently the MDEQ standard for full body contact is 300 counts per100 ml for 24 hours and 130 counts per100 ml for monthly GM value.  Health Department issues an advisory for the beach closing based on the simple e.coli level result.  We all know that e.coli readings are effected by both animal and human sources in the area.  Effort should be made to determine the contribution in percentage (%) due to each source.

3.  In water sampling at a beach sampling depth is an important variable.  Samples collected at a depth of 12 inches vs 18 inches at the same time, showed results which are significantly different.  Sometime deeper depth has totally different results than the shallow water (12").  Reasons for this difference.

4.  Another question regarding QA/QC work.  We have experienced that if two samples are taken at the same time at the same location have totally different results. My concern about both questions is why there so much difference in e.coli readings?

5.  Wayne County has experienced that e.coli reading are higher when the last 24 hours rain fall exceeds 0.25".

Wayne County has much improved results at the beaches when compared to last several years.   Is this true in Wayne County beaches only or every where the trend is improvement in water quality.     

Thank you so much for giviing an opportunity for the comments and suggestions.

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