Star Tribune
http://www.startribune.com/at-least-140-report-sickness-after-lake-minnetonka-boating-on-july-4th/512542682/
Nearly 120 report sickness after Lake Minnetonka boating on July 4th
Five beaches in the metro area remain closed due to high bacteria
counts.
By Katy Read (http://www.startribune.com/katyread/
131074183/) Star Tribune
JULY 11, 2019 — 5:07AM
Nearly 120 people have reported getting sick after boating near Big Island on Lake
Minnetonka over the long July 4th weekend, Hennepin County Public Health officials
said.
As of Wednesday morning, the county said that 116 boaters on Minnetonka reported
having been at Big Island during the holiday weekend and have since experienced
vomiting and/or multiple episodes of diarrhea.
The Minnesota Department of Health is working to help determine the cause.
Eric Evenson, director of the Lake Minnetonka Association, said that he and a group
went out to pick up litter around Big Island on Sunday. “We don’t know if it’s related or
not, but one of the guys who helped got sick later,” he said.
Meanwhile, several beaches in the metro area remain closed after authorities found E.
coli in the water.
On Tuesday, Hennepin County closed the swimming beach at the Commons Park in
Excelsior. It’s not far from Big Island, but the beach’s bacteria level there isn’t necessarily
related to the Big Island illnesses, authorities said.
Several beaches in Minneapolis and Chaska also are closed because local officials found
E. coli in the water.
Beach closings due to high bacteria counts don’t happen every summer in the Twin
Cities, but they aren’t uncommon. The duration of the closings this year is longer than
usual, said Robin Smothers, a spokeswoman for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation
Board, probably because heavy rains exacerbated the problem by washing polluting
materials into the lakes.
Stormwater and waterfowl excrement are the main causes.
“In layman’s language? Geese pooping. Unless we catch them in the act, which nobody
wants to do, it could be ducks as well,” she said.
High water levels in the lakes are another factor, said Deb Pilger, the park board’s
director of environmental management. “Higher water levels brings in more wet sand,
which unfortunately is a good environment for bacteria to grow in,” she said.
Minnetonka over the long July 4th weekend, Hennepin County Public Health officials
said.
As of Wednesday morning, the county said that 116 boaters on Minnetonka reported
having been at Big Island during the holiday weekend and have since experienced
vomiting and/or multiple episodes of diarrhea.
The Minnesota Department of Health is working to help determine the cause.
Eric Evenson, director of the Lake Minnetonka Association, said that he and a group
went out to pick up litter around Big Island on Sunday. “We don’t know if it’s related or
not, but one of the guys who helped got sick later,” he said.
Meanwhile, several beaches in the metro area remain closed after authorities found E.
coli in the water.
On Tuesday, Hennepin County closed the swimming beach at the Commons Park in
Excelsior. It’s not far from Big Island, but the beach’s bacteria level there isn’t necessarily
related to the Big Island illnesses, authorities said.
Several beaches in Minneapolis and Chaska also are closed because local officials found
E. coli in the water.
Beach closings due to high bacteria counts don’t happen every summer in the Twin
Cities, but they aren’t uncommon. The duration of the closings this year is longer than
usual, said Robin Smothers, a spokeswoman for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation
Board, probably because heavy rains exacerbated the problem by washing polluting
materials into the lakes.
Stormwater and waterfowl excrement are the main causes.
“In layman’s language? Geese pooping. Unless we catch them in the act, which nobody
wants to do, it could be ducks as well,” she said.
High water levels in the lakes are another factor, said Deb Pilger, the park board’s
director of environmental management. “Higher water levels brings in more wet sand,
which unfortunately is a good environment for bacteria to grow in,” she said.
The rest of the story continues - http://www.startribune.com/at-least-140-report-sickness-after-lake-minnetonka-boating-on-july-4th/512542682/
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