In July, 2003, BSRA initiated a weekly testing program to determine:

o the quality of water entering Lake Huron at four ravine locations –

2 in Stanley West (Houston Heights; Sunset Estates),

2 in Hay West wards (St. Joseph Shores; Ridgeway); and

o the quality of lake water along the beach immediately north and south of the

outflow from these ravines.

The sites were selected to ensure that a wide range of Bluewater’s “West Coast” is represented. The program and methodology was based on the testing done at St. Joseph Shores over the last several years. Water quality readings over 100 – the assumed “safe” level – proportionally increase the risk of illness. Results to date are as follows:

*Ravine*	*No. of Tests*	*Results>100*	*Highest Reading*	*Median Reading*
Houston Heights	6	5	750	235
Sunset Estates	7	4	4,000	120
St. Joseph Shores	10	8	1,400	127
Ridgeway	6	6	1,000	625
Total/Median	29	23		270

It is recognized that the length of the testing period to date is somewhat limited.

Nevertheless, the preliminary testing data support the following observations:

Ø 79.3% of the tests (i.e., 23 of 29) indicated an unacceptable level of E-coli in the water flowing into Lake Huron from these ravines.

Ø All four ravine sites were above safe levels on the majority of tests conducted.

Ø The median reading (15^th out of 29) was 270, far above levels safe for human health.

Ø 34.5% of the tests (i.e., 10 of 29) show readings above 600.

Ø Results from testing the beaches north and south of the outflow generally, but not always, indicated lower levels of E-coli than in the adjacent ravine draining into the lake.This results from the diluting effect of the larger body of water.

Summary

Water flowing into Lake Huron along the majority of Bluewater’s shoreline

consistently shows levels of E-coli bacteria unsafe for human health.