Parks director outlines E. coli testing and mitigation at Glass Center Beach; laser and hydrogen-peroxide treatment planned

McLean County Parks and Recreation Director Mike Steffa told the Property Committee the Glass Center Beach was closed after E. coli counts exceeded body-contact standards and staff are conducting follow-up testing and mitigation.

Steffa said the department would test the water and expected lab results after a two-day turnaround from the Illinois Department of Public Health; he said department staff would receive results and could reopen the beach if counts returned within safe levels. “We are testing tomorrow and hope to get the results back by Bridal, and we're hoping the results will come back positive, in our favor, obviously,” Steffa said. He added that if results are delayed because of lab schedules, the next likely opportunity for results would be the following week.

Steffa described two mitigation tactics: a high-powered handheld laser purchased from a vendor called Optics Planet to scare geese and other wildlife away from the swimming area, and purchase of a hydrogen-peroxide-based liquid branded as a “green clean” that staff said is safe for humans and aquatic organisms and is meant to reduce E. coli counts. “It is extremely safe for humans, safe for the environment, aquatic organisms. It is extremely safe, but it does kill the E. Coli in the water,” he said.

Committee members asked about impacts to fish and wildlife and about staging for upcoming events. Steffa said fishing is not allowed inside the swimming beach and that the lake had been tested twice before an upcoming triathlon; the test last week returned “extremely low” counts, and a subsequent test was done the day before the meeting with results pending.

Steffa cautioned that the laser is a scare tactic and he would not expect it to have long-term effectiveness without monitoring; he said previous deterrence methods worked briefly before geese adapted. On the timing for opening, he said staff hoped to have test results and an opening decision before the weekend but noted the Illinois Department of Public Health is closed on weekends and that the department often gets a call or email about results from the processing lab.

The committee received the Parks and Recreation monthly report for information; there was no formal committee action tied to the beach mitigation items.