Researchers from the University of Windsor are reaching out to the public for help collecting water samples.
The samples will be used to test for E.coli bacteria. Some strains can cause bloody diarrhea, severe anemia or kidney failure.
Adjunct Professor at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, Subba Rao Chaganti says they need water samples from beaches, rivers, creeks and lakes in the region. Bottles will be labelled where the samples were taken, along with their GPS coordinates.
He says the project will help develop tools necessary to detect harmful pathogens faster.
"This has never been done worldwide, and this data will allow us to get a complete spatial map," says Chaganti.
Volunteers can collect their sample bottles at seven different locations:
* Lakeview Park West Beach on River St. in Belle River.
* Brian Masse's constituency office at 1398 Ouellette Ave. in Windsor.
* Colchester Beach at 100 Jackson St. in Colchester.
* Essex Region Conservation Authority at 360 Fairview Ave. W in Essex.
* Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at 2990 Riverside Dr. W in Windsor.
At those locations, the bottles are available from Wednesday, August 16 to Friday, August 18 from 10am to 4pm.
Bottles are also available at:
* Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex at 249 Sherk St. in Leamington on Thursday, August 17 and Friday, August 18 from 4pm to 6pm.
* Point Pelee National Park at 1118 Point Pelee Dr. in Leamington Wednesday, August 16 to Friday, August 18 from 8am to 9pm.
