2025 Beach Sampling & Beach Closures

The 2025 Oakland County Health Division Beach Monitoring Program begins on June 2 and will run for ten weeks. The County will monitor 100 beaches on 70 different lakes.

The water collection and beach surveying are conducted by Environmental Health students hired by Oakland County. Beaches are sampled at least weekly and tested for E. coli bacteria, which can cause stomach cramps, nausea, fever, and skin and respiratory issues. The presence of E. coli bacteria at a beach may also indicate the presence of other harmful organisms.

Monitored beaches are to meet the one-day standard of 300 E. coli colonies per 100 milliliters of water AND the 30 day geometric average standard of 130 E. coli colonies per 100 milliliters. If a beach does not meet the water quality standard, it will be closed until satisfactory samples are obtained. Sampling results can be found on the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) BeachGuard website.

The Health Division will also sample 12 beaches more frequently (four times per week) using a new testing technology. The new technology, qPCR, allows the Health Division to provide same-day results. Currently being used as a pilot project, the Health Division will issue an advisory if it believes the results indicate the following day's results will be greater than 300 E. coli colonies per 100 milliliters. The Health Division continues to work with EGLE and the US EPA to ensure qPCR is a true reflection of water quality. The advisory will recommend avoiding swimming at the beach and will be posted  on Oakland County's Environmental Health website and on EGLE's BeachGuard website.

Additional information regarding the beaches can be found at Oakland County's Environmental Health website.

Oakland County Health Division
248-858-1280
health@oakgov.com