Trail notes
- Ohio posts a beach advisory when an E. coli sample exceeds 235 colony forming units per 100 mL, and the advisory stays up until a follow-up sample is below that standard.
- The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District tests for E. coli each morning during recreation season at Edgewater Beach and Villa Angela Beach.
- A recreational public health advisory is issued if toxic microcystin reaches 6 micrograms per liter, and an elevated advisory at 20 micrograms per liter.
A free beach day on Lake Erie is one of the best parts of summer in Cleveland, Ohio. It is also worth two minutes of homework. Lake water quality changes from day to day, and after heavy rain it can change within hours. Fortunately, the beaches around Cleveland are tested often; the regional sewer district has described itself as one of the few agencies in the nation that monitors local beach water daily. The warnings are easy to read once you know what they mean.
Who tests the water
The Ohio Department of Health runs a Bathing Beach Monitoring Program with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, local health departments and other organizations. Through a grant from the U.S. EPA, the department monitors Lake Erie beaches for E. coli bacteria, in cooperation with the local health departments where the beaches are. Results are posted on the state’s BeachGuard website.
In the Cleveland area, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District also tests every morning during recreation season, which the District describes as June through Labor Day, at Edgewater Beach and Villa Angela Beach. Cleveland Metroparks manages those beaches and posts the signs.
The number that matters: 235
E. coli is the bacteria Ohio tests for at beaches. The state uses the single sample maximum adopted by the U.S. EPA in 2004 for freshwater beaches: 235 colony forming units of E. coli per 100 milliliters of water. When a sample is above that, the state says an advisory is posted to warn swimmers. The advisory stays up until a follow-up sample comes back below the standard.
According to the Ohio Department of Health, a bacteria advisory means bad bacteria have reached unsafe levels that could make you sick, and children, older people and anyone in ill health or with a weakened immune system are advised not to swim.
The morning Nowcast
Lab tests for bacteria take time, so the Sewer District also issues a Nowcast, a prediction of whether the day’s water quality is likely to be good or poor. Predicted E. coli levels above 235 lead to a Poor water quality rating for that beach. The District has said predictions are released each morning, posted on its website and its beach-report social media account, and shown on signs at the entrances to Edgewater and Villa Angela.
Tip: The Nowcast is a morning forecast. The Sewer District warns that conditions can deteriorate quickly after storms and that the Nowcast does not account for changes after it is issued. If a thunderstorm rolls through at noon, treat the morning rating as out of date.
Why rain changes everything
The Sewer District lists the main things that push bacteria up at the beach: waterfowl, Lake Erie currents, pollutants such as raw sewage released into rivers and streams after heavy storms, and stormwater runoff from the land that can carry fertilizer, motor oil and garbage into the lake. The District has noted that Euclid and Villa Angela beaches have historically been prone to high bacteria levels. That is why the day after a big storm is often a poor choice for swimming, even if the sun is out.
Algae advisories are different
In summer, Lake Erie can grow blooms of blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, some of which make toxins. While sampling for E. coli, Sewer District investigators also look for blooms; if they see one, they test for the type of algae and the toxin level and report results to Cleveland Metroparks. Ohio’s response follows a state Harmful Algal Bloom strategy with two advisory levels:
| Advisory | Trigger (microcystin) | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Recreational Public Health Advisory | 6 micrograms per liter or more | The lower of the two state advisory levels; signs are posted at the beach |
| Elevated Recreational Public Health Advisory | 20 micrograms per liter or more | Avoid all contact with the water; swimming and wading are not recommended; keep pets away |
The Sewer District says that once an algae advisory is needed, warning signs stay posted for at least seven days, even if the bloom disappears or toxin levels drop. Algae advisories are about toxins, not bacteria, so a beach can have good bacteria results and still be under an algae warning.
Where to check before you go
- BeachGuard: the Ohio Department of Health’s site shows current advisories and sample results for Lake Erie and inland beaches.
- Ohio’s beach info line: 1-866-OHIO-BCH (1-866-644-6224).
- The Sewer District: its beaches page and morning updates cover Edgewater and Villa Angela.
- Signs at the beach: read the board at the entrance even if you checked online.
Simple habits that lower your risk
- Skip swimming after heavy rain or when the water looks murky or scummy.
- Try not to swallow lake water, and keep small children from drinking it.
- Shower or rinse off after swimming, and wash hands before eating.
- Keep dogs out of water with visible algae or an algae advisory.
Bacteria are only half the picture
Clean water does not mean calm water. Waves and currents near piers cause most serious trouble at Great Lakes beaches, and checking the surf forecast matters as much as the bacteria report. See Lake Erie Swimming Safety: Waves, Pier Currents and Rip Currents for what to look for, and Lake Erie State Parks East of Cleveland: Free Beaches, Dunes and Marshes for beaches farther east along the shore.