Lake in the Hills beach closed again over health concerns

McHenry County authorities on Friday closed Lake in the Hills' Indian Trail Beach after testing revealed unsafe bacteria levels in the water, marking the second time this month the beach has been shut down over health concerns.

But it could be reopened as early as today.

The beach was among three closed by the McHenry County Health Department after testing 35 beaches on 13 lakes on Thursday. The others closed are West Park Beach in Crystal Lake and Sunrise Ridge in Wonder Lake.

Health department spokeswoman Deborah Quackenbush said recent rains combined with a large goose population around the beach have created an environment where E. coli can flourish.

"E. coli is going to make you sick," she said. "This is really about preventing people from getting sick unnecessarily."

Health officials planned to retest the beaches on Friday and make results available this morning on the department's Web site, www.mcdh.info.

If bacteria concentrations are back at safe levels, the beach could be open as early as today, Quackenbush said.

Officials closed Indian Trail Beach twice last week, once for flooding and once for a high E. coli count. The beach reopened June 14.

The village's Butch Hagele Beach, which is across Woods Creek Lake from Indian Trail, reopened a week ago after being closed for an entire week because of high E. coli levels.

The beach was tested Thursday and remained open Friday.