Water Quallity at Lake of the Ozarks - 9 Things You Need To Know

9 Things You Need To Know About Water Quality at Lake of the Ozarks:

  1. Lake of the Ozarks has consistently tested as one of the cleanest lakes in Missouri.
  2. Health Magazine recently proclaimed Lake of the Ozarks as one of the healthiest lakes in the country.
  3. Only one of the hundreds of strains of E. coli causes serious illness. The primary risk of contracting one of those strains is through undercooked meat and raw vegetables.
  4. Heavy rainfall in all bodies of water will temporarily influence water quality.
  5. In the past three years, there have been no confirmed cases of sickness from the E coli bacteria due to swimming in the Lake of the Ozarks.
  6. The natural flow of water at the Lake has a cleansing effect. Enough water flows into the Lake of the Ozarks each year to fill the Lake three times over.
  7. Testing at Lake of the Ozarks is proactive and designed to help us gain an overall picture of the Lake’s water quality.
  8. As would be true with any lake or river, swimmers should avoid drinking the water and take other normal precautions, such as washing their hands before handling food. With that in mind, it is safe to swim, ski and enjoy the water at
    the Lake of the Ozarks!
  9. The Lake of the Ozarks is healthy and safe. We are taking proactive steps to insure the future environmental health of the Lake of the Ozarks continues. Please join us in our efforts.

Information provided by Citizens for the Preservation of Lake of the Ozarks.

“During the past several years, the Lake of the Ozarks has been the single most tested body of water in the State of Missouri. A total of 285 water samples were taken in 2011 and delivered to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Water Testing Department.  According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Water Testing Department, the geometric mean (average over a period of time) for the 285 samples taken in 2011 was 3.0 compared to an acceptable level of 126.  The test results issued by the Department of Natural Resources for 2011 indicates that the Lake of the Ozarks is one of, if not the cleanest, body of water in the State of Missouri in terms of E. Coli bacteria.”

2007: 289 Total Samples - 4.9 Geometric Mean
2008: 324 Total Samples - 7.0 Geometric Mean
2009: 332 Total Samples - 8.8 Geometric Mean
2010: 312 Total Samples - 3.8 Geometric Mean
2011: 285 Total Samples - 3.0 Geometric Mean

Water Quality at Lake of the Ozarks

   1-800-386-5253

info@lakewaterquality.org