General News

Check water quality before heading to the beach

June 29, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Summer is here, and a popular pastime is heading to one of the many swimming areas in the region.

Before you plan your day, you should check with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s beach advisory webpage for a list of public beaches with a swimming advisory.

Throughout the summer, more than 50 designated public beaches are tested regularly in Simcoe Muskoka for E.coli bacteria.

When bacteria levels exceed Ontario guidelines, there may be a higher-than-normal risk of illness or infection. When this happens, a swimming advisory is issued, letting people know of the potential risk, and is posted at the beach until testing shows bacteria is once again within acceptable limits.

In rare cases where a significant risk to health and safety has been identified, a beach will be closed.

“Even if there is no advisory posted, beachgoers are reminded that water quality can change from day to day and even hour to hour depending on the weather and lake conditions,” said Karen Kivilahti, manager of the health unit’s Safe Water Program. “The latest available information posted on the health unit’s website may not reflect the real-time conditions at the beach, so it is important to know what environmental factors to be aware of and how to minimize your risk.”

Beach water quality can be affected by rainfall that washes everything off the surrounding surfaces, including bird and dog feces, garbage, and chemicals, into the water.

It is best to avoid swimming for 24 to 48 hours after heavy rainfall. People who swim after it rains should avoid dunking their heads and never swallow the water.

Cloudy water created by heavy winds that stir up sand and silt is also linked to high levels of bacteria. If you can’t see your feet when you are waist-deep in water, bacteria levels may be higher.

Warm, shallow, slow-moving bodies of water and wet sand are other excellent breeding grounds for E.coli and other organisms. It is essential that people wash their hands or use hand sanitizer frequently while visiting and having a picnic at a beach area.

Beaches may also be unsafe due to excessive weed growth, oil, floating debris, turbidity, and blue-green algae blooms. In addition to water sampling, the Health Unit conducts environmental safety assessments as part of its summer beach program.

For more information about beach water safety, visit SMDHU’s website.

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