Beach Monitoring Program

The Oakland County Health Division Beach Monitoring Program for 2008 will begin on June 2nd and run until August 1st.  This year the County will be monitoring 102 public and semi-public beaches on 59 different lakes.

The water collection and beach surveying are done by environmental health students hired by the County for summer internships. Water at each of the beaches is tested on a weekly basis, measuring for an indicator bacteria, E. Coli. As an indicator, if E. Coli is present, other, more harmful and harder to detect organisms could be present.

Monitored beaches are to meet the one day standard of 300 colonies per 100 milliliters of water AND the 30 day  geometric average standard of 130 colonies per 100 milliliters.

Guidelines for a sampling program of recreational waters by individuals or groups

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