PORTER, Ind. (AP) Ñ Just in time for the Independence Day holiday, the National Park Service says all Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore beaches are open and safe for swimming.

The park service says in its weekly beach monitoring report that E. coli bacteria collected Wednesday at beaches from West Beach to Mount Baldy were below the level of 235 colonies per 100 milliliters that is considered unhealthy.

The highest levels were detected at West Beach with an E. coli bacteria count of 153 colonies per 100 millileters.

High E. coli levels can indicate the presence of other pathogens that can cause illness.

The park service advises that it doesn’t close its beaches because of water conditions. The public is advised to take their own safety precautions based on water quality, weather conditions and other relevant information.

Indiana Dunes State Park, http://www.duneland.com

Posted 7/3/2009