The Health Department of Northwest Michigan (HDNW) is issuing a beach advisory to stay out of the water at Little Traverse Township and a parital body advisory for Mackinaw Beach 1 in Emmet County. HDNW is extending a partial body beach advisory for Richardi Park in the Village of Bellaire, Antrim County. The advisories are posted at the beaches.

Little Traverse Township
A water sample collected Tuesday showed an E. coli level of 2,419.6 per 100 milliliters (ml), which calls for no water contact based on Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) water quality standards. The beach is located at U.S. 31 and West Conway Road in Little Traverse Township.

Mackinaw Beach 1
A water sample collected Tuesday showed an E. coli level of 613.1 per 100 ml, which requires a partial body beach advisory. The beach is located at E Wilderness Park Drive in Mackinaw City. With partial body contact, wading, paddling, and fishing are considered safe.

Richardi Park
A water sample collected Tuesday showed an E. coli level of 320.5 per 100 ml, which calls for a partial body beach advisory. The beach is located at E. Antrim Street in Bellaire.

The beaches will be retested today, Aug. 28. Results will be shared with the public Thursday, Aug. 29.

Water sampling is done throughout the summer months to monitor E. coli levels at many public beaches. When a sample comes back that creates an advisory of any type, the water at that beach is sampled again the next day to keep the public updated.

HDNW posts beach monitoring reports weekly on its website at https://nwhealth.org/beach-monitoring-program/. Through an EGLE supported web-based program, the public has real-time access to beach water quality results for beaches all over Michigan. Information can be found at https://www.deq.state.mi.us/beach/.