Bayside Water Ski Club members say they suffer from unusual sinus problems, and those problems seem to be directly related to exposure from Fountain Lake – but health officials say study is needed to determine if water quality has anything to do with the illness.

Tuesday, April 03, 2001

Bayside Water Ski Club members say they suffer from unusual sinus problems, and those problems seem to be directly related to exposure from Fountain Lake – but health officials say study is needed to determine if water quality has anything to do with the illness.

Dr. Doug Edwards, a Bayside Skiers board member, said he has noticed increasing sinus difficulties among club members of all ages.

&uot;It seems like over the years we’re experiencing more sinus concerns subsequent to the use of the lake,&uot; Edwards said.

Not everyone is affected, but members of the club have begun taping their noses shut when they participate in lake activities, Edwards said.

Sinus infections are usually caused by cold or allergies which increase secretions and block nasal passageways, said Dr. Lonnie Berger, a family physician at the Albert Lea Medical Center.

&uot;It’s possible if they got lake water in their nose or inhaled some bacteria in their nose it could make them more susceptible,&uot; Berger said.

Edwards said he started experiencing problems about seven years ago, and they appear to get worse during algae blooms.

The city of Albert Lea says action isn’t likely.

&uot;I guess it’s nothing the city would take responsibility for,&uot; said City Sanitarian Neal Lindeman. &uot;I haven’t heard of any action the city is going to take based on these accounts.&uot;

The city used to test Fountain Lake water weekly for fecal bacteria during the summer months, but quit sometime around 1997, Lindeman said.

Heavy summer rains would increase the inflow of water from the county ditches, and fecal bacteria counts would rise, said City Manager Paul Sparks. When those counts reached dangerous levels, the city would post an advisory.

Testing wasn’t required by the state Pollution Control Agency or Department of Health. It was a city decision to perform the tests and later to quit, Lindeman said.

Sparks said water quality in Fountain Lake has remained steady in recent years.

&uot;I don’t believe it’s any worse than its been in the last 25 years,&uot; he said.

But Bayside Ski Club members disagree. Increased exposure to the lake seems to aggravate members’ health problems, said club member Curtis Clarambeau.

&uot;You come down to talk to people on some practice night, almost everyone’s plugged up,&uot; Clarambeau said.

The issue would have to be studied to determine if exposure to the lake was a direct cause of the ski team’s seemingly high incidence of sinusitis, Berger said.

&uot;Usually respiratory illnesses are passed from one person to another,&uot; Berger said. &uot;It could be just a coincidence.&uot;