Impure Michigan?

Ray Williams of Buchanan catches a steelhead Wednesday afternoon in River Park in Benton Harbor. Carrying the net is John Brawley of Niles. A community activist group is concerned about the cleanliness of the St. Joseph River. John Madill / H-P staff

Health board gets the scoop on poop in rivers

By JOHN MATUSZAK - Assistant Local Editor

Published: Thursday, March 4, 2010 1:09 PM EST

BENTON HARBOR - The waterways of "Pure Michigan" aren't so pure, a community activist group claims, and they want the Berrien County Board of Health to do something about it.

"There's poop in the (St. Joseph) river," as evidenced by the high levels of E. coli, Jim Vopat, of Harbor Country Progress, told the health board at its monthly meeting Wednesday. "People don't know how contaminated 'Pure Michigan' waterways are."

The organization learned of the contamination in a presentation from an official with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Vopat found a "huge disconnect" between the state's slogan and the condition of the water. But this is more than a public relations problem, he added.

Contact with E. coli can cause diarrhea, kidney disease and even death, he said. Just touching the water can be a health hazard.

Having fouled water can hurt tourism and reduce property values, Vopat warned, pointing to a closing of the beach in New Buffalo last September because of dirty water.

The E.coli contamination in the St. Joseph River is not caused by faulty sewer systems or animal waste run-off from farms, according to Vopat, but is the result of inadequate or nonexistent septic systems.

That's why his organization is asking the health board to require an inspection to make sure septic systems are in place before a property is sold or transferred. Inspections also should be mandated when an addition or outbuilding is constructed, Vopat said.

"More and more, we have to protect the environment, and the Berrien County waterways especially," Vopat said.

Several counties bordering Lake Michigan have similar ordinances, Vopat told the board.

When questioned by Chairman Duane McBride, Vopat said he did not know what impact the laws had on water quality.

The board members agreed that water quality is a problem, but doubted that there could be a quick fix.

"This might take 20 or 30 years to turn around," board member Margaret Kohring said.

Dr. Frederick Johansen, the department's medical director, pointed out that the more severe effects from E.coli would come through tainted food, and not from swimming in a polluted river or lake.

Johansen said people should be careful to not overstate the threat.

He also expressed skepticism about data attributing the source of the E.coli to human run-off. He said it is more likely caused by animal run-off, and that levels spike after a heavy rain.

The board, which is working on its own sewer ordinance, did agree to give the issue a look.

Gary Witkowski, the department's environmental services manager, said the county requires a property owner to replace or fix inadequate septic systems, but most of those inspections are voluntary. While the county used to do "hundreds and hundreds" of home inspections, most of those have been taken over by private inspectors hired by banks. And those reports don't always get back to the county.

"This would get us into many more properties," he said of the point-of-sale proposal.

Board members will have a timeline for fact-finding by their April meeting.

jmatuszak@TheH-P.com