Peninsula State Park sewage leak suspected in 60 illnesses Associated Press STURGEON BAY, Wis. (AP) - Health officials investigating causes of beach closings in Door County last year recently learned of a previously undisclosed sewage leak that was found in September at Peninsula State Park near Fish Creek. "We were all surprised," county Sanitarian John Teichtler said. "I'm not sure what the significance of the leak is, but I also don't know why they didn't tell us earlier." Swimmers at Peninsula Park's Nicolet Beach in mid-July reported more than 60 illnesses confirmed by the Door County Health Department. According to the state Department of Natural Resources, a valve on a sewage pipe leaked an unknown amount of sewage less than a half-mile inland from the beach. The revelation has local officials wondering if there is any connection to the illnesses, but DNR officials downplay the possibility. Gary Kincaid, DNR wastewater engineer in Green Bay, said he didn't believe the leak was an issue in the beach study. He said he only mentioned it a January meeting with county officials because they were discussing area sewage treatment plants. Kincaid said he hopes people don't believe the leak was the solely responsible for the beach problems. "This is one minor thing," Kincaid said. "Could there have been some bacteria seeping into the bay? Sure. But is it linked to all the other sites where E. coli was detected last summer? No way." The illnesses prompted Door County's first year of countywide beach testing last summer. One swimmer at the beach tested positive for Norwalk virus, which is associated with human fecal matter. Officials closed 11 beaches, some of them several times. The county plans tougher monitoring this summer funded by state grants. County Conservationist William Schuster said Friday he had very little information about the leak. But he said groundwater in Peninsula State Park and much of Door County moves rapidly and steadily through shallow, rocky soil to the surrounding waters. Bruce Lewandowski of Milwaukee reported the leak via e-mail to the DNR upon returning home from a Door County vacation Sept. 9. He said he heard odd splashing sounds in the woods near his campsite and went to investigate. He took photos with a digital camera that he attached to his e-mail. Lewandowski said Friday he walked through brush to find the pipe. "The stuff that came out was brown and green. It was running down the pipe," he said. Lewandowski's photos show a "stand-pipe" about 3-feet tall, sticking out of the ground. The pipe has an air-release valve that the DNR says was stuck in an open position, spewing raw sewage intermittently over a small area. Park Superintendent Tom Blackwood said personnel replaced the valve with a new one and locked it shut the same day. Blackwood filed an official Sanitary Sewer Overflow or Bypass Notification Summary Report dated Sept. 10. It states "Only (a) small volume of wastewater discharged." The standpipe valve is on a sewage pipe running between a trailer dump station and the park's wastewater treatment plant. The DNR report said the valve apparently was "tampered with." "Someone turned it to the open position and left it like that," Kincaid said.