Overview

• Sixteen suburban Chicago beaches have closed after testing found high E. coli levels and shoreline erosion ahead of the Fourth of July weekend
• Health officials in New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Michigan and California have issued swim bans or advisories over elevated Enterococci and Vibrio contamination
• Lake County Health Department and other agencies conduct daily sampling and resample until bacterial counts fall below federal safety standards
• The Illinois Department of Public Health’s Beach Guard website and the Chicago Park District’s daily flag postings inform residents of current swim conditions
• Heavy rainfall, agricultural runoff and shoreline erosion drive seasonal spikes in waterborne bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal, skin and systemic infections