Partial body contact advisory continues at Richardi Beach as health officials search for answers

The Northwest Michigan Health Department is seeking answers because a local beach has received a partial body contact advisory since late August.

Richardi Park Beach in Bellaire is no stranger to higher levels of E. coli, but this year those levels are higher and have remained longer than expected by health officials.

“To the best of my knowledge, it has never had levels above 300 and has stayed above 300 for as long as it is now,” admits the environmental health coordinator at the Department of Health. , Casey Clement.

The levels of E. coli less than 300 are safe for full body contact, while between 300 and 1000 are considered safe for partial body contact.

Feces left behind by waterfowl have been the reason for higher levels of E. coli, but now health officials say they don’t know if something else could be the cause.

“I’m not entirely sure. I think once we have done this source tracking on the water samples, it will tell us more,” Clement hopes.

The Department of Health collected additional samples from the Intermediate River and the mouth of the Cedar River to try to determine the cause of the higher levels.

“Our department is keeping these samples and will be doing source tracking later this winter to see if we can determine what the source of this E. coli is.

Health officials say they don’t know when they will find the E levels. coli, but say they will continue to update people on their level. website.