DETROIT — Belle Isle Beach is closed this weekend due to high levels of E. coli in the water, but that doesn't mean the beach is empty.
Saturday, there were hundreds of people at the beach and dozens in the water.
Our team counted five barrel signs that read "beach closed" and saw a large sign on the way into the park.
However, no one seemed to know the beach was closed, or why.
We met Sheree Spencer after her son and his friends had spent the whole afternoon swimming in the water.
When we asked her if she knew the beach was closed she said, "Is it?! Well it’s open today cause we’re here."
That was the story with every person we talked to, whether they had seen the signs or not.
Hydera Crosby who was at the beach with her granddaughter said, "Oh wow, I didn’t know that."
Parrish who was there with her four kids swimming said, "I had no idea!"
We asked Michigan DNR's Urban District Supervisor, Tom Bissett, how there were so many people at the beach.
He said, "The swimming is closed, you’re still able to recreate on the sand."
Bissett told us that although it's advised that people do not swim in the water, it's not illegal, or something that they enforce.
He said they test the water at Belle Isle Beach weekly.
If the tests come back with an E. coli count of more than 130 parts per million, they have to shut the beach down.
This past week's test came back with 438 parts per million.
"E. coli itself in water is not per say dangerous but the reason that it’s tested for is that it can indicate the presence of other bacteria in the water," said Bissett.
According to the Clean Lakes Alliance, high counts of E. coli in water indicate that the water is contaminated by feces which increases the risk of illness.
The most common symptoms are throwing up, diarrhea, skin rashes, and ear infections.
Crosby told us her and her granddaughter Bailey didn't think the beach was closed because of the amount of people still on it.
She as well as many others told us they would like to see signage that indicates what is in the water, they would also like the beach to be blocked off.
Every person we told about the E. coli count left the beach after.
Bissett told us the beach will be closed throughout the weekend, on Monday they will most likely have test results from more recent samples.
