Health Division kicks off annual beach testing

The Oakland County Health Division will be testing water samples collected at 44 public beaches on 37 county lakes this summer — including 13 lakes area beaches — with the help of four college interns.

“These interns are students usually studying environmental health sciences who need internships for a completion of a degree,” said Mark Hansell, the Environmental Health Services Unit supervisor for the Oakland County Health Division.

The monitoring program started on Monday, June 6 and will continue for eight weeks until the end of July.

Water samples from beaches must meet a one-day standard of no more than 300 bacteria colonies per 100 milliliters (ml) of water, and a 30-day geometric average standard of no more than 130 bacteria colonies per 100 ml. If a water sample exceeds either of those standards, the beach is closed until bacteria levels drop.

The following is a list of lakes area beaches slated for monitoring this season, including the lake and community where each targeted beach is located:

• Dodge Park No. 4, Cass Lake, Waterford Township;

• Pontiac Yacht Club, Cass Lake, Orchard Lake Village;

• Kensington-Maple Beach, Kent Lake, Milford Township;

• Kensington-Martindale Beach, Kent Lake, Milford Township;

• Country Club (5000 W. Shore Drive), Orchard Lake, Orchard Lake Village;

• Camp Dearborn-Lake No. 1, Phillips Lake, Milford Township;

• Camp Dearborn-Lake No. 5, Phillips Lake, Milford Township;

• Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, Pontiac Lake, White Lake Township;

• Proud Lake Recreation Area Campground, Proud Lake, Commerce Township;

• Finnish Day Camp, Sun Lake, Wixom;

• Teeple Lake Recreation Area-Highland State Park, Teeple Lake, White Lake Township;

• E.V. Mercer City Beach, Walled Lake, city of Walled Lake; and

• Bloomfield Parks and Recreation/West Hills High School, Walnut Lake, West Bloomfield.

For the latest information on beach closings in the lakes area, go to spinalcolumnonline.com or oaklandlakefront.com.