Clean Water In the News

Lorain's two public beaches had a combined seven advisories in 2007, but have had 29 so far this year, according to samples taken by the Ohio Department of Health. Cleveland Metroparks Huntington Beach in Bay Village has had 14 advisories this year, compared to 18 last year, and Kelleys Island State Park beach has not had any this year.

Ohio ranks second in the nation for having the most frequent levels of harmful bacteria found in 18 percent of water samples taken from Lake Erie in 2007, according the report compiled by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Ohio Environmental Council and Environment Ohio. Illinois was the only state higher with 23 percent of samples failing national health standards.

Lorain City Health Commissioner Terry Tomaszewski said that heavy rainfall has caused a rise in E. coli levels by stirring up lake sediment and runoff into the lake. Discharges from area sewage plants is likely not an issue, Tomaszewski said.

''I don't see that being an issue locally,'' he said. ''We've assessed this whole area five years ago in cooperation with the sewer department. All the work they have been doing would be avoiding that.''

Beach advisories are posted when the level of bacteria in the water rises to a level that poses a danger to human health, and they warn children and the elderly to avoid swimming. The amount of bacteria has increased due to outdated and overwhelmed sewage and stormwater systems, said Kristy Meyer, director of the Ohio Environmental Council.

''Stormwater run-off and sewage systems are definitely the main culprits, but not the only culprit,'' Meyer said.

Failing sewage systems around other parts of the lake can cause problems in the Lorain area, Meyer said. She added that a good deal of agricultural run-off, including pesticides and animal waste, from the Maumee River flows into the lake in the Western Basin.

''Everything that happens in Lake Erie will affect Lake Erie,'' she said. ''Sediment comes in from the Maumee River, it will settle and the phosphorous that comes with it takes 2.6 years to be flushed out.''

Amy Gomberg, environmental advocate with Environment Ohio, said that billions of gallons of untreated sewage flows into the lake each year. She added that drilling for oil and gas in the lake and offshore areas would only make the problem worse and not save consumers at the gas pump.

''It would be a drop in the bucket,'' Gomberg said. ''This is the water source for drinking water, the heart of recreational areas and tourism. We need to not only clean up sewage pollution, but we need to protect it for future generations as well.''

Meyer said local officials should close beaches when they would otherwise post advisories, because children might not be able to read them and some people do not see the signs.

''It's kind of swim at your own risk,'' she said.

Jack Kurowski, Lorain's director of environmental health, said the water should be safe to swim in as long as it is not ingested. The health department does not deem beaches contaminated because they have not run into a situation of contamination from a sewer plant, and they are always using information from the previous day, he said. Yesterday, Lakeview and Century beaches were safe for swimming, but had unacceptable readings for July, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Gomberg said that the problem should incite state and local officials to help increase awareness about water pollution.

''The more people who understand that water pollution as a problem, the more likely elected leaders will want to spend money (correcting) it,'' she said.

Beach advisories can be viewed on the health department's Web site, www.lorainhealth.com. They are updated after 3 p.m. each day