Staphylococci concentrations (CFU/100 mL) compared to US and EU recreational water-quality criteria (RWQC) and the US beach action value (BAV) for enterococci at Great Lakes beaches
| Beach . | Total number of samples for enterococci . | Beach met the US RWQCa . | EU enterococci coastal quality statusb . | EU enterococci inland lakes quality statusc . | % of samples that exceed state's BAVd . | Median staphylococci concentration . | Median staphylococci concentration when BAV met . | Median staphylococci concentration when BAV exceeded . |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Erie 1 (OH) | 23 | No | Poor | Poor | 35 | 136 | 72 | > 300 |
| Lake Erie 2 (OH) | 23 | Yes | Good | Excellent | 13 | 90 | 65 | > 300 |
| Lake Erie 3 (NY) | 23 | No | Sufficient | Good | 17 | 200 | 90 | > 300 |
| Lake Erie 4 (NY) | 23 | No | Sufficient | Sufficient | 17 | 166 | 123 | > 300 |
| Lake Erie 5 (NY) | 17 | No | Poor | Poor | 35 | 140 | 90 | > 300 |
| Lake Huron 1 (MI) | 21 | Yes | Excellent | Excellent | 0 | 10 | 10 | NAe |
| Lake Huron 2 (MI) | 21 | No | Poor | Sufficient | 67 | 71 | 38 | > 300 |
| Lake Michigan 1 (WI) | 24 | No | Poor | Poor | 33 | 52 | 33 | > 300 |
| Lake Michigan 2 (WI) | 23 | No | Good | Excellent | 13 | > 300 | > 300 | NDf |
| Lake Michigan 3 (WI) | 23 | Yes | Sufficient | Sufficient | 17 | 31 | 26 | 36 |
| Lake Michigan 4 (MI) | 27 | Yes | Excellent | Excellent | 7 | 21 | 21 | 98.5 |
| Lake Michigan 5 (MI) | 27 | Yes | Good | Excellent | 7 | 53 | 53 | 74 |
| Lake Michigan 6 (MI) | 12 | No | Excellent | Excellent | 17 | 292 | 292 | 201 |
| Total | 287 | 21 | 54 | > 300 |
| Beach . | Total number of samples for enterococci . | Beach met the US RWQCa . | EU enterococci coastal quality statusb . | EU enterococci inland lakes quality statusc . | % of samples that exceed state's BAVd . | Median staphylococci concentration . | Median staphylococci concentration when BAV met . | Median staphylococci concentration when BAV exceeded . |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Erie 1 (OH) | 23 | No | Poor | Poor | 35 | 136 | 72 | > 300 |
| Lake Erie 2 (OH) | 23 | Yes | Good | Excellent | 13 | 90 | 65 | > 300 |
| Lake Erie 3 (NY) | 23 | No | Sufficient | Good | 17 | 200 | 90 | > 300 |
| Lake Erie 4 (NY) | 23 | No | Sufficient | Sufficient | 17 | 166 | 123 | > 300 |
| Lake Erie 5 (NY) | 17 | No | Poor | Poor | 35 | 140 | 90 | > 300 |
| Lake Huron 1 (MI) | 21 | Yes | Excellent | Excellent | 0 | 10 | 10 | NAe |
| Lake Huron 2 (MI) | 21 | No | Poor | Sufficient | 67 | 71 | 38 | > 300 |
| Lake Michigan 1 (WI) | 24 | No | Poor | Poor | 33 | 52 | 33 | > 300 |
| Lake Michigan 2 (WI) | 23 | No | Good | Excellent | 13 | > 300 | > 300 | NDf |
| Lake Michigan 3 (WI) | 23 | Yes | Sufficient | Sufficient | 17 | 31 | 26 | 36 |
| Lake Michigan 4 (MI) | 27 | Yes | Excellent | Excellent | 7 | 21 | 21 | 98.5 |
| Lake Michigan 5 (MI) | 27 | Yes | Good | Excellent | 7 | 53 | 53 | 74 |
| Lake Michigan 6 (MI) | 12 | No | Excellent | Excellent | 17 | 292 | 292 | 201 |
| Total | 287 | 21 | 54 | > 300 |
aUnited States Environmental Protection Agency, 2012 recreational water-quality criteria (USEPA 2012). Yes = beach met both the geometric mean (GM) of 35 CFU/100 mL and statistical threshold value (STV) of 130 CFU/100 mL values for enterococci based on the reported enterococci values over the course of the study. No = beach failed both criteria.
bDirective 2006/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 February 2006 concerning the management of bathing water quality and repealing Directive 76/160/EEC. Official Journal of the European Union L 64/37, 2006. Excellent: <100 CFU/100 mL based on a 95th percentile evaluation of 16 samples over 4 years; good: <200 CFU/100 mL based on a 95th percentile evaluation of 16 samples over 4 years; sufficient: <185 CFU/100 mL based on a 90th percentile evaluation of 16 samples over 4 years; and poor: does not meet ‘sufficient’.
cDirective 2006/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 February 2006 concerning the management of bathing water quality and repealing Directive 76/160/EEC. Official Journal of the European Union L 64/37, 2006. Excellent: < 200 CFU/100 mL based on a 95th percentile evaluation of 16 samples over 4 years; good: <400 CFU/100 mL based on a 95th percentile evaluation of 16 samples over 4 years; sufficient: <330 CFU/100 mL based on a 90th percentile evaluation of 16 samples over 4 years; poor: does not meet sufficient.
dBeach action value (BAV), United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2012 recreational water-quality criteria (USEPA 2012); 70 CFU/100 mL.
eNA, beach did not have any sample that exceeded BAV; therefore, no value could be determined.
fND, not determined because three samples exceeded ENT BAV but staphylococci concentration was not quantifiable.