Leelanau beaches test clean

All eight monitored beaches in Leelanau County came back below the Benzie-Leelanau Health Department’s (BLHD) threshold for an E. coli advisory in the department’s latest water testing.

But, bacteria levels are just one part of a more complicated picture of water quality that includes other issues like harmful algae blooms and swimmer’s itch.

“Overall , Leelanau County beaches have great water quality year after year,” Dan Thorell, health officer for the BLHD said. “Yes, there are times when E. coli levels prompt either level 2 or level 3 advisories, but they are typically rescinded quickly after retests.”