City of Milwaukee testing water at area beaches

The City of Milwaukee Health Department is once again kicking off summer by updating beachgoers to the water quality at Milwaukee’s Bradford, McKinley, and South Shore beaches.

“Thanks to a continued partnership between the City of Milwaukee Health Department, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Zilber School of Public Health, and Milwaukee County Parks, we assess water quality conditions at the city’s public beaches to ensure that beachgoers have healthy summer fun,” said Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker.

Water at Milwaukee’s three public beaches is monitored through Labor Day. Water samples are analyzed by both the City of Milwaukee Health Department Public Health Laboratory and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for microbial contaminants, such as E.coli, that may indicate potential health risks. While E. coli is normally found in bodies of water, elevated levels can raise health concerns.

Public advisories are posted at each beach following the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources public notification system using the colors green, yellow, and red to indicate the current public advisories. The City of Milwaukee Health Department also posts advisories online at the City of Milwaukee Health Department website Milwaukee.gov/health and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Wisconsin Beach Health website wibeaches.us.  

A green sign means the risk of illness is minimal. A yellow sign means the risk of illness is elevated. A red sign means swimming is not advised due to health concerns.