Testing, Testing
“Ohio EPA recommended to the Lake Erie islands that they have their water tested… and we’ve maintained that service ever since.” – Dr. Justin Chaffin, Stone Lab Research Coordinator (Photo: Jo McCulty)
Most communities on the Lake Erie shoreline draw at least some of their drinking water from the lake, and for the Lake Erie islands, not doing so would often mean having no easily accessible water at all. So being able to detect any contamination, such as toxins from harmful algal blooms (HABs) that appear in western Lake Erie most summers, is essential to making sure island residents can be confident that their tap water is safe.
Stone Lab, Ohio Sea Grant’s teaching and research facility located on South Bass Island, plays a large role in meeting that need. From research into what turns algal blooms toxic to the nitty-gritty details of weekly water testing for the islands’ water treatment facilities, Stone Lab staff serve their island communities in a variety of ways.