The Van Buren/Cass County District Health Department conducts a beach monitoring program which monitors the quality of water at four beaches in Van Buren County. The quantity of a bacterium, E. coli, is measured periodically in water samples from these beaches as an indicator of the safety of the water for human bathing. Beaches monitored by this program include:

• Covert Township Park Beach
• Van Buren State Park
• South Haven, North Beach
• South Haven, South Beach

Data obtained by this program is available by linking to the following website: http://www.deq.state.mi.us/beach.

Details about water sampling methods and interpretation of the results are available by linking to: http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3686_3730-11005--,00.html.

The beach monitoring program is conducted in accordance with the provisions of Act 368 of 1978 (Public Health Code) as referenced in Michigan Compiled Laws section MCL 333.12541 and its associated sections. The text of the Public Health Code and the Michigan Compiled Laws are available by linking to: http://www.michiganlegislature.org/.

Questions about the Beach Monitoring Program can be addressed to Michael McGuire, Environmental Health, at mcguirem@vbcassdhd.org.

Additional Resources:

Center for Disease Control & Prevention