Lake Storey Beach will remain closed for eight months.
Galesburg Parks and Recreation Director Tony Oligney-Estill says earlier in the week heavy rains caused a Galesburg Sanitary District pump to backfire.
Excess water from the pump flowed across the street into Lake Storey.
Oligney-Estill wanted to keep the lake closed off to swimming until at least the end of this week while they awaited results of water test samples from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
A press release from the city Friday afternoon doesn’t disclose the test results but says the beach will be closed for Labor Day weekend.
Since Labor Day is the last weekend the beach was scheduled to be open in 2016 anyway, next year’s Memorial Day will be the next time swimmers can take a dip.
Boat rentals and concessions will be open to the public this weekend.
City officials say fishing is safe however, they should be rinsed and cleaned.
Touching the water is not advised and washing hands is strongly encouraged for those who do.
