Menominee Park Beach testing information review
[We have received this report from Justin Mitchell and are pleased to publish it here on his behalf. It has been sent to the city for its review.]
8/20/2009
Re: Menominee Park Beach Testing Results
Dear City Staff:
On 8/2/2009, I completed an assessment of the availability of on-line information regarding the beach water monitoring that is taking place this year at Menominee Park Beach. This assessment, as well as on-going monitoring of this issue, was requested as part of the Sustainability Advisory Board’s Water Working Group initiatives. The results are listed below, with recommendations listed where improvements should be made. This project has been an ideal partnership between the city of Oshkosh, the University, and the Sustainability Advisory Board. This assessment and recommendations are intended to improve the process based on what we learned this year and ensure that next year we can continue to improve this community service.
A. The most up-to-date records accessible on the city of Oshkosh website were from 7/8/09 testing, or 28 days old (note that a brief check on 8/19/09 showed that the most current results posted on the city website were still from 7/8/09). Contrast this delayed posting with Winnebago County where results were current through 7/29/09.
B. The posting was not available from any location on the parks department web pages. As Menominee Park and the Menominee Park Beach have a clear relationship to the parks department, it is likely that anyone interested in the beach or the water monitoring program would search for such information in the parks department web pages.
C. The posting was not available on the health department’s web page for “recreational facilities”. Similar to as stated in point B above, it is likely that someone interested in the health of our recreational facilities would search for such information in the parks department web pages.
D. The information provided is a scientific fact sheet that states the testing date and location, method used (colilert), and provides numbers. This handout (attached) is not in a format that is accessible or helpful to most Oshkosh residents and beach users. The handout does not provide the following information: What the numbers mean; What safe levels are (example: EPA standards for safe recreational water); Who in the city could be contacted for additional information; A description of what is tested and why; What health information is relevant; regarding the health effects of contaminated water; or Testing history – information is not available regarding past tests.
Therefore, based upon the above analysis, I am recommending the city implement the following changes:
1. Allow Winnebago County to provide the testing results on their website (http://www.wclwcd.org/health/sampling_sites.html).
The site provides excellent maps of the county and of testing sites, provides details of what healthy water levels are and provides a history of testing results. All tested sites throughout the county are listed except for Menominee Park Beach.
UW Oshkosh Biology lab is involved in the testing and lab work of both the Winnebago County testing program and the city of Oshkosh testing program, so this is just a matter of permitting information to be shared.
If this option is chosen, the city can either continue to provide updated information of their testing or simply link to the existing county site. The link to the county site should be included in the following locations: city parks page, health recreational facilities page, Sustainable Oshkosh page, and others as determined appropriate by IT.
2. If the city determines it wants to provide its own testing information site, IT staff should develop a Menominee Park Beach Testing page that provides:
i. Current, up-to-date testing results - Posting of results should occur as the results are received.
ii. A history of testing results
iii. A description of what the results mean / what are safe levels
iv. A statement regarding what the city will do in the event that the beach is closed
v. A description of what is tested and why
vi. Health information relevant to what is being tested, health concerns with contaminated water
vii. A city contact for additional information
viii. Linking of the page from city parks page, health recreational facilities page, Sustainable Oshkosh page, and others as determined appropriate by IT
Thank you,
Justin Mitchell
652 Monroe St, Oshkosh
Environmental Microbiology Laboratory
Surface Water Test - Bacteriological
E. coli - Most Probable Number (MPN)/100ml
Coliform - Most Probable Number (MPN)/100mL
Client: Winnebago County Land and Water
Project: Surface Test - Coliform/E.coli
Sample ID: Multiple
Sample Type: Surface Water
Laboratory ID: Multiple
Date Sampled: Multiple
Date Received: Multiple
Date Analyzed: Multiple
Beach Name Sample Date Method Used LOD Coliform E. coli
MPN/100mL Result Result
Menominee Park 7/6/09 Colilert 1.0 >2419.6 1.0
Beach
Menominee Park 7/8/09 Colilert 1.0 >2419.6 21.6
Beach
US EPA Lab Identification Number - WI01087
Wisconsin Lab Certification Number - 105-445
References:
•IDEXX Manufacturer Instructions
•Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 18th Ed., American Public Health Association (APHA)
Contact:
Environmental Microbiology Laboratory
Department of Biology & Microbiology
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
800 Algoma Boulevard
Oshkosh, WI 54901
Phone - (920) 424-3148
Fax - (920) 424-1101
E-mail - kachurr@uwosh.edu
8/20/2009
Re: Menominee Park Beach Testing Results
Dear City Staff:
On 8/2/2009, I completed an assessment of the availability of on-line information regarding the beach water monitoring that is taking place this year at Menominee Park Beach. This assessment, as well as on-going monitoring of this issue, was requested as part of the Sustainability Advisory Board’s Water Working Group initiatives. The results are listed below, with recommendations listed where improvements should be made. This project has been an ideal partnership between the city of Oshkosh, the University, and the Sustainability Advisory Board. This assessment and recommendations are intended to improve the process based on what we learned this year and ensure that next year we can continue to improve this community service.
A. The most up-to-date records accessible on the city of Oshkosh website were from 7/8/09 testing, or 28 days old (note that a brief check on 8/19/09 showed that the most current results posted on the city website were still from 7/8/09). Contrast this delayed posting with Winnebago County where results were current through 7/29/09.
B. The posting was not available from any location on the parks department web pages. As Menominee Park and the Menominee Park Beach have a clear relationship to the parks department, it is likely that anyone interested in the beach or the water monitoring program would search for such information in the parks department web pages.
C. The posting was not available on the health department’s web page for “recreational facilities”. Similar to as stated in point B above, it is likely that someone interested in the health of our recreational facilities would search for such information in the parks department web pages.
D. The information provided is a scientific fact sheet that states the testing date and location, method used (colilert), and provides numbers. This handout (attached) is not in a format that is accessible or helpful to most Oshkosh residents and beach users. The handout does not provide the following information: What the numbers mean; What safe levels are (example: EPA standards for safe recreational water); Who in the city could be contacted for additional information; A description of what is tested and why; What health information is relevant; regarding the health effects of contaminated water; or Testing history – information is not available regarding past tests.
Therefore, based upon the above analysis, I am recommending the city implement the following changes:
1. Allow Winnebago County to provide the testing results on their website (http://www.wclwcd.org/health/sampling_sites.html).
The site provides excellent maps of the county and of testing sites, provides details of what healthy water levels are and provides a history of testing results. All tested sites throughout the county are listed except for Menominee Park Beach.
UW Oshkosh Biology lab is involved in the testing and lab work of both the Winnebago County testing program and the city of Oshkosh testing program, so this is just a matter of permitting information to be shared.
If this option is chosen, the city can either continue to provide updated information of their testing or simply link to the existing county site. The link to the county site should be included in the following locations: city parks page, health recreational facilities page, Sustainable Oshkosh page, and others as determined appropriate by IT.
2. If the city determines it wants to provide its own testing information site, IT staff should develop a Menominee Park Beach Testing page that provides:
i. Current, up-to-date testing results - Posting of results should occur as the results are received.
ii. A history of testing results
iii. A description of what the results mean / what are safe levels
iv. A statement regarding what the city will do in the event that the beach is closed
v. A description of what is tested and why
vi. Health information relevant to what is being tested, health concerns with contaminated water
vii. A city contact for additional information
viii. Linking of the page from city parks page, health recreational facilities page, Sustainable Oshkosh page, and others as determined appropriate by IT
Thank you,
Justin Mitchell
652 Monroe St, Oshkosh
Environmental Microbiology Laboratory
Surface Water Test - Bacteriological
E. coli - Most Probable Number (MPN)/100ml
Coliform - Most Probable Number (MPN)/100mL
Client: Winnebago County Land and Water
Project: Surface Test - Coliform/E.coli
Sample ID: Multiple
Sample Type: Surface Water
Laboratory ID: Multiple
Date Sampled: Multiple
Date Received: Multiple
Date Analyzed: Multiple
Beach Name Sample Date Method Used LOD Coliform E. coli
MPN/100mL Result Result
Menominee Park 7/6/09 Colilert 1.0 >2419.6 1.0
Beach
Menominee Park 7/8/09 Colilert 1.0 >2419.6 21.6
Beach
US EPA Lab Identification Number - WI01087
Wisconsin Lab Certification Number - 105-445
References:
•IDEXX Manufacturer Instructions
•Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 18th Ed., American Public Health Association (APHA)
Contact:
Environmental Microbiology Laboratory
Department of Biology & Microbiology
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
800 Algoma Boulevard
Oshkosh, WI 54901
Phone - (920) 424-3148
Fax - (920) 424-1101
E-mail - kachurr@uwosh.edu
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 10:01 PM
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