Suddenly, No Swimming Allowed at 6 Illinois Lakes Due to Bacteria

If you were planning on swimming at an Illinois lake this weekend, you might want to check the status first as suddenly there are urgent orders at a half dozen Illinois water places to avoid swimming at all costs.

I learned this surprising development just doing a cursory look at lakes around Illinois and make sure everything is business as usual. Sadly, that's not the case. Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious to you, but lakes in Illinois are regularly tested for E. Coli and other bacteria that cause water-borne sickness.

Here are 6 Illinois lakes that currently have a red flag warning saying that no swimming is advised due to high bacteria levels:

• Diamond Lake - Channel Beach
• Countryside Lake - Countryside Beach
• Timber Lake - Association Beach
• Bangs Lake - Lakeview Villa Subdivision
• Bang's Lake - Maiman's Lakeshore
• Bang's Lake - Lake Point Homeowners

These red flag advisories were confirmed by beach monitoring in Lake County, Illinois. This is important to note as several of these lakes are favorite party locations for many in Illinois.

As the CDC notes, E. Coli isn't necessarily dangerous for many, but some people with weakened immune systems can develop serious illness. In those individuals, it "can lead to kidney failure, permanent health problems, and even death". It's serious business and one of the many reasons you want to check the test status of any lake or beach you plan to visit in Illinois. Better safe than sorry.