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The Conservation District and the Health Department have both addressed the causes of bacterial contamination of Lake Huron.

The health department tests water at 12 beaches in the county –four of which are located in Worth Township subdivisions. Only one beach that had E. coli levels that exceeded the acceptable range last summer. The beach was re-tested and was open the next day.

Conservation Lakeshore Watershed Tech Joe Kautz said within the last year he has seen a lot of progress in the past year.

The livestock exclusion project is responsible for much of the clean up, he noted.

“It removes cattle that graze on the banks of streams and in the water (ranging from 100 feet to 1/2 mile). It prevents erosion and the cause of pathogen counts and feces,” he explained.

To compensate farmers for the loss of grazing space and a watering source, they enroll the area in the conservation reserve program, which pays the farmer rent through the USDA.

“Then they can put in another watering system and re-fence the cattle in a different area,” Kautz explained.

“In the past year we’ve seen drops in the pathogen counts at the public beaches,” he noted. The health department performs weekly bacteria tests at public beaches during the swimming season.

He said their priority was public beaches so their first target was the area around Forester Park.

“We’re working that area now, but we have 40 miles of shoreline. But we only have so many resources to work with. We would like to work with other sub-watersheds in the future,” he added.

“We’d go out to the different livestock owners and work with them, offer them incentives…If they did it themselves they’re giving up economic value. They pay property taxes on this land, they need to be compensated for that loss of income. There is also the cost of setting up new fencing or water systems or differing grazes,” Kautz stated.

The health department targets septic system failure.

“We try to address the issues that cause surface water contamination by identifying failing septic systems, which have a direct impact on surface water,” said Health Director Dianna Schaefer.

“The health department feels that efforts to address failing septic systems by ordering corrective measures along the lakefront areas have been one of the contributing factors to improved beach water quality. Septic systems that are found to be in a state of failure must be repaired or replaced to stop the ground or surface water from becoming contaminating,” she stated.

Schaefer said, the Public Health Code states that the local health department shall prevent and control environmental health hazards.

“We take this role very seriously”, emphasized Schafer.

“The health department will continue its efforts to monitor and evaluate all contributing factors that may affect public health. Our goal is to work with property owners to assist them in mitigating and correcting on-site sewage problems before they cause a serious public health concern,” she stated.

The health department tests water at the following beaches during the swimming season: Port Sanilac Park, Sanilac County Park #4, Sanilac County Roadside Part #1,

Forester County Park, Delaware Park, three Birch Beach subdivision beaches,, Forestville Park, Great Lakes Beach – south of mill creek, Lexington Beach and Lexington County Park.

Sources of E. coli bacteria may include sewer overflows, storm sewers which pick up sewage, agricultural runoff and runoff from failing septic systems. Also, warm-blooded animals including human and waterfowl have levels of bacteria in their intestinal tracts.