Swimming advisories have been issued for two public beaches on Shuswap Lake.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District issued the alert this week for Pebble Beach and Sandy Beach, saying unacceptable levels of E. coli bacteria were found in recent routine water samples.
The beaches are both located along Blind Bay Road, and swimming at either is not recommended at this time due to the elevated risk of stomach or intestinal illness.
However, they aren’t being closed to the public.
“The public should be made aware of the increased risk of swimming at these beach areas,” the regional district says.
The advisory will be lifted when samples show acceptable bacteria levels. The beaches are routinely tested on a weekly basis.
Interior Health says a number of factors, including wildlife and weather, can cause elevated bacteria levels. For example, rain washing contaminants into water bodies and elevated temperatures increasing bacterial growth.
More information about beach advisories and water samples is available on Interior Health’s website.