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Health board begins testing Lake Newport for E. coli
YOUNGSTOWN
The Mahoning County District Board of Health on Wednesday collected water samples from Mill Creek Park’s Lake Newport to test for E. coli, marking the beginning of an official testing program.
An environmental health technician for the health board collected three samples from each of three separate locations in the lake. Those samples will be tested at a health board laboratory in Austintown, and results will be available within 24 hours.
The goal, health board officials say, is to establish what the baseline level of E. coli is for the lake. Testing protocol was developed after a previous health board test found elevated levels of the bacteria in Lake Newport, leading Mill Creek MetroParks on July 10 to close lakes Newport, Cohasset and Glacier to the public until further notice.
The lakes previously were used for recreational activities such as fishing and boating.
That initial round of testing followed a massive fish kill in Lake Newport at the end of June. The fish kill later was determined to be primarily caused by overflows from the city’s combined storm and sanitary sewer system.
The fact that the fish kill occurred in Lake Newport is why it was chosen as the site of initial testing. Testing might expand to other park lakes next season, said Ryan Tekac, environmental health director for the health board.
Water samples were taken from sites at southern, midpoint and northern parts of the lake Wednesday. Those sites are: the Lake Newport boathouse on West Newport Drive; the footbridge over Mill Creek off East Newport Drive; and the Lake Newport boat launch.
Samples will be collected on a weekly basis over a 12-week period. Additional samples will be collected 24 to 48 hours after rain events.
The park system will pay up to $3,000 for the testing program.