Bacteria alert posted for Pymatuning beaches

The Ohio Department of Health has posted a contamination alert for swimmers at three beaches on the western side of Pymatuning Reservoir.

According to the state’s BeachGuard system, higher than allowable levels of E Coli have been detected at the main beach, as well as the Cabin and Camp beaches of the lake in Ashtabula County.

The Yellow Flag Alert is posted when the level of bad bacteria in the water has reached unsafe levels and could make you sick. Children, the elderly, and those in ill health or weakened immune systems are advised not to swim.

The Ohio Department of Health, through a grant from the USEPA, monitors beaches for E. coli bacteria.

The monitoring is done in cooperation with many local health departments where the beaches are located.

Water samples are collected at the beaches and the results are reported to the public.

 If the sample results are greater than the recreational standard of 235 colony-forming units, an advisory is posted to warn swimmers of the risk of illness associated with water contact.

The bacteria level along Pymatuning’s main beach was three times the allowable level.

 The advisory remains posted until a follow-up sample result is below the recreational standard.

 The Beach Guard system allows local beach managers to post real-time beach monitoring and notification data online and allows the public to view beach advisories that might be in place.