GLIN==> Water sampling on St. Marys River scheduled

["List Manager" <adminpst@great-lakes.net>]

     6/1/2007 10:27:00 AM
     Water sampling on the river scheduled
     Coordinated efforts from both countries aim to find source of 
contamination

     By Shannon Jones
     Staff Reporter

     http://www.baymillsnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&ArticleID=379&TM=44136.57

     SAULT STE. MARIE - U.S. and Canadian officials will be relying on help 
from local residents once again this summer to keep an eye on the water 
quality in the St. Mary's waterway. Although both governments are aware of 
the E. coli problem in the river that was substantiated last summer, 
shorelines will continue to be their target area for bacterial testing.

     On Tuesday, May 15, officials from the Chippewa County Health 
Department, Michigan Department of Environment Quality, and the 
Environmental Protection Agency as well as a broad spectrum of their 
Canadian counterparts, held an all-day symposium to discuss the issue with 
community members at Lake Superior State University.

     Because last summer was the first time actual river monitoring took 
place, officials said they do not have a baseline with which to compare 
those results. With that in mind, the results from last year will be used as 
a reference point in this year's testing.

     On June 4, 2006, Sugar Island resident D. J. Bumstead reported 
floating solids in the water near his home. That report resulted in a flurry 
of activity that led to a "no-body contact" advisory being issued by the 
CCHD when bacterial levels indicated the water was unsafe for humans. The 
advisory remained in effect for the entire summer when tests revealed E. 
coli levels off the charts.

     "It was the longest standing no-body contact advisory in history for 
the health department," said CCHD Sanitarian Christine Daley.

     The cause of the high bacterial counts remains unanswered, although at 
the symposium, officials from both governments indicated their belief that 
the East End Sewage Plant was the root of the problem. They said they hope 
that since the plant has been upgraded, they will see the issue dissipate.

     This year testing will begin on June 1 and continue through October. 
According to Daley, testing will be concentrated at shore locations, but the 
possibility of river testing exists if reports of floating solids are once 
again received.

     Residents were heavily involved last summer in testing efforts, 
providing transportation and samples to the local authorities. Daley said 
she will be distributing sample kits and offering a training session on 
sampling in the near future for those persons who are interested in 
volunteering.

     Residents in Sault, Mich. felt the impact of the advisory more than 
their Canadian neighbors, said Sherri Cleaves of Algoma Public Health, as 
the U.S. side has more public bathing beaches than the Canadian side. She 
said this year that situation could change, as low water levels have created 
more beaches.

     APH will work on sampling as well, staggering their sites, from July 
to August. They will likely sample on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 
hoping to get results back before the weekend. If high bacterial counts come 
back from the lab, Cleaves said advisories will be made and signs put up 
notifying the public on the Canadian side. APH will coordinate their efforts 
with CCHD, as well as the Ministry of Environment.

     Commenting on the efforts of both countries, Batchewana Bay Chief Dean 
Sayers said he would like to see sampling conducted in the off-season as 
well, prior to the start of shipping.

     "We can develop more processes to get a better snapshot of what is 
happening in the river," he said. "The First Nations on both sides of the 
water - Batchewana Bay, Garden River, Sault Tribe, and Bay Mills - want to 
monitor data collection processes."

     Despite the plans to continue testing, officials indicated that they 
do not have the ability to fix the problem.

     "We are not empowered to fix it when we find it," said Debbie 
Burniston, co-chair of Environment Canada. "Our managers will be informed 
and will be taking the next step, and that depends on what is found."

     Anyone interested in monitoring the status of the St. Mary's waterway 
is encouraged to visit the Department of Environmental Quality's website at 
www.mich.gov. Test results and beach advisories are listed and updated 
frequently at this site.


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