Michigan beaches impacted by elevated bacteria levels
(CBS DETROIT) - More than 20 Michigan beaches are closed due to dangerous levels of E. coli, eight of which are in Metro Detroit.
The Detroit-area beaches that are shut down are Stewart Lake, Pontiac Lake, Bogey Lake, Teeple Lake, Sugden Lake, Crescent Lake Park, Sylvan Lake and Memorial Park Beach.
Meanwhile, in Detroit, beachgoers are still weary after Belle Isle beaches were closed for the same reasons earlier this month.
"I'll go into my ankles right now just to clean my feet off, but I will never fully submerge," said Xavier Ambrose. "Just in case there is some issue that they haven't discovered yet."
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said it tests the waters of the Detroit River that pass alongside Belle Isle every Wednesday. The results typically take 48 hours to come back. If those results show an issue, they retest immediately. The beaches will remain closed until the DNR gets an all-clear.
"It's really cold most of the year," Ambrose told CBS News Detroit. "And people work really hard, especially in Detroit. So, if you're looking forward to a day off at the beach only to come and find out it's shut down because of an E. coli issue, it's unfortunate."
Alec Adamic, who was enjoying a sunset on Belle Isle Tuesday, believes the problem is poor infrastructure caused by aging sewage systems. However, he says he isn't responsible for fixing it.
"Whether or not that's the city, Belle Isle, whoever — it needs to be fixed," Adamic told CBS News Detroit. "If we had this in full function how great the city could be? It's unfathomable."
