Pollution from factory farms is generating new health concerns in south central lower Michigan and leading to questions about federal and state clean water enforcement.

Cryptosporidium, a pathogen responsible for the deaths of 104 people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1993, has been found in large quantities in a county drain downstream from a dairy concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) in Lenawee County, according to an unreleased report from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) obtained through the Freedom of Information Act by the citizens group Environmentally Concerned Citizens of South Central Michigan (ECCSCM).

The DEQ reportedly informed the downstream community of Blissfield, which draws its drinking water from the Raisin River, about the October 22 test results. However, ECCSCM says no public warning has been made to assure that other users of the Rice Lake Drain, Bear Creek, Black Creek and the Raisin River downstream of the site are taking precautions.

Cryptosporidium is a tiny protozoan that causes diarrhea and other severe gastrointestinal illness. The organisms are found in wastes from humans and animals. In Milwaukee the contamination was believed to originate from inadequate treatment of drinking water, possibly contamination of filtered water with raw, untreated water. People with compromised health such as the elderly, the very young or those afflicted with HIV or other diseases are most at risk of illness and death from cryptosporidiosis.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, ECCSCM obtained a Michigan State University study for DEQ that found cryptosporidium levels in extremely high numbers in Rice Lake Drain water samples taken on October 22, 2004. The ECCSCM web site notes that data indicated the Rice Lake Drain water sample, tested at MSU's Water Quality Lab, had a Cryptosporidium concentration of 2,600 oocysts/100L and 860/100L potentially viable oocysts (Equivalent Concentration with internal structure), although none tested as infectious. Studies show humans have a 20% infection rate at 30 oocysts and a 40% infection rate at 100 oocysts.

"Cryptosporidium is a dangerous pathogen-it's tiny, hard to find, tough to kill," said Janet Kauffman of ECCSCM. "This bug has a bad history. We don't want another Milwaukee, with thousands of people sick and hundreds of deaths. It's good to know DEQ is doing some follow-up testing. But why wasn't the public notified? And what about other streams in Michigan where animal waste pollutes the water?"

Five days before this water sample was taken, a volunteer with ECCSCM and Sierra Club reported apparent contamination at the site. ECCSCM notes Rice Lake Drain has been the site of repeated manure discharges, leading the DEQ to file suit against the VanderHoff Haley dairy CAFO in August 2004 because of "at least" seven discharges of animal waste to the Rice Lake Drain and Bovee Drain.

ECCSCM has posted the details of the report on its web site at http://www.nocafos.org/crypto.htm.