High bacteria levels at eight Chicago beaches helped push Illinois to the top of a nationwide list for contaminated beaches, according to a report released today by the National Resources Defense Council.

Illinois beaches failed  federal safety standards for E. coli contamination at a higher rate than any other state in the country last year, according to the report.

Among the city's beaches, eight are listed as having failed to meet federal standards for bacterial contamination in at least 25 percent of water samples tested in 2007:  Osterman Beach, Jackson Park Beach, Rainbow Beach, 31st Street Beach, South Shore Beach, Montrose Beach, 57th Street Beach and Albion Beach.

Officials from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Chicago Park District, which collects the data for Chicago's 23 beaches, say that is at least partly because they test more often. They also say some of the NRDC's numbers - including the figures for Osterman Beach - are inaccurate. They are continuing to investigate the report.

Josh Mogerman, spokesman for the NRDC, says the data in the report is consistent with data received from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, the source for the council's annual report.

Mogerman says the possible inaccuracies will not affect the report's underlying assertion that Illinois beaches need the most improvement in terms of identifying and eliminating sources of bacterial contamination.

"We feel the data is accurate, but if there was some sort of reporting glitch, we certainly want to make sure we're reflecting the right data," Mogerman said.

The report reveals that 23 percent of water samples taken from Illinois' beaches in 2007 exceeded federal bacteria limits. In Cook County, the number was 21 percent. Lake County's failure rate was listed at 32 percent.

Despite those numbers, Henry Henderson, director of the NRDC Midwest program, praised both the state and city's water testing efforts given the limited federal resources available.

"(In Chicago) there's been a significant investment in time and effort to test and identify and to not rely on the current (slow) tests," Henderson said. "The city has been among the leaders in finding out what are the things you can actually predict when you've got a (potential beach closure)."

Ellen Sargent, deputy director for the park district's department of natural resources, says that the city's rigorous testing requirements produce a higher incidence of poor reports. Chicago tests once a day when other Great Lakes states test as little as once a month, she says.

"It's biased to compare Illinois against a state that only tests once a week," she said.

Henderson says that doesn't reduce the health risks posed to swimmers on the Illinois side.

When asked if he would advise against swimming in Lake Michigan, Henderson stammered.

"My advice is uh...no. I wouldn't, but, uh ... I wouldn't swim in the lake. I wouldn't.

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