Suitability for Drinking Do not drink lake water without disinfecting it. Bacteria, viruses or parasites can cause sickness. They may come from a malfunctioning septic system or from warm-blooded animals. Volunteer to monitor the water quality of your lake. Ongoing and properly conducted monitoring of water quality is the best way to determine the health of lakes.
Monitoring can help detect trends both good and bad in water quality.
Such information may be useful to residents, government agencies, and land managers in identifying contributing factors to water quality trends and helping to identify measures that will help maintain a high level of water quality. Due to insufficient government funding for such monitoring activities, the involvement of citizen volunteers is essential. Participate in a training program for volunteer monitors. Have the water at your local beach tested at high use times or after a period of heavy run-off due to rain. Your local county health department may be able to do the test or direct you to someone who can.