Lenawee County Health Department Environmental Health Staff collect water samples from two public beaches in Lenawee County over the course of the summer swimming season. Weekly samples are collected from the public beaches at Hayes State Park and the Lake Hudson Recreation Area. To protect public health and to prevent the spread of disease, the samples are analyzed for E. coli bacteria levels.
The Michigan Public Health Code sets limits for levels of bacteria in all bodies of water, including bathing beaches open to the public. If the levels detected during monitoring exceed these limits, the risk of illness increases. A health advisory will be issued for a beach if testing shows that bacteria levels are higher than the state safety standard. At that time, signs will be posted on the beach to indicate that it may be unsafe to swim and that the beach is under a health advisory. Advisories will be lifted when additional sampling shows that bacteria levels have dropped below the state’s standard. We will also post this information on our website here, so you can check before you head to the beach.