How Chicago beaches' water quality is rapid tested for safe swimming
Chicago beaches are tested for bacteria every day during the summer season to make sure it's safe for swimmers to get in. And the testing that happens here is some of the fastest and best in the country.
Lake Michigan is a favorite destination all summer long, and especially when Chicago is facing the kind of extreme heat and humidity forecast this weekend. But there's a lot of work that happens behind the scene to make sure the water is safe for swimmers.
"We are testing for bacteria, using standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency, that lets you know the risk of becoming ill from swimming, and I'm happy to report we have pretty clean beaches," said Cathy Breitenbach, director of cultural and natural resources for the Chicago Park District.
The park district has a partnership with the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health to test the water at every beach in the city every day. Rapid tests are what make the difference.
"Chicago has been this pioneer in implementing this rapid method for beach monitoring," said Abhilasha Shrestha, UIC School of Public Health.
They said most other public beaches still use a culture method, which delays results by a day. So, the results that are posted each day are actually from the day before. But Chicago's rapid tests deliver results in mere hours.
"Students from UIC are out collecting samples every morning an we get the results back late morning, so it takes two to three hours, in time for when the beaches open for swimming at 11," Breitenbach said.
Shrestha recently presented the work they're doing in Chicago at a water conference in the Netherlands.
"I don't think there's any other city that does monitoring like Chicago does," she said.
This weekend's heat won't impact Lake Michigan water quality, but other weather changes do. The park district keeps a close eye on those changes, and their website allows members of the public to see their work.
"It's really important people are looking at the results and they are choosing what's best for them and their family," said Shrestha.
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