Mahoning County Board of Health to begin testing Lake Newport

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County District Board of Health sanitarians today will collect water samples from Mill Creek MetroParks for E. coli testing.

The tests follow the July 10 closure of lakes Newport, Cohasset and Glacier for public use until further notice after previous tests determined there were elevated levels of E. coli in park water.

That testing was done in response to a massive fish kill at the end of June that later was determined to be primarily the result of overflows from the city’s combined storm and sanitary sewer system.

Under an agreement reached last week, the board of health will test Mill Creek and Lake Newport for E. coli over a 12-week period.

Three water samples will be collected weekly at each of three locations and then tested in the health board lab. Those locations are: the footbridge over Mill Creek downstream from Shields Road; a spot at the midpoint of the lake on its east side; and the Lake Newport boat-rental facility on West Newport Drive.

Additional samples will be collected 24 to 48 hours after rain events.