WATCH ABOVE: Health officials say high temperatures and heavy rainfall in areas especially around Lake Simcoe have driven up E. Coli levels. Catherine McDonald reports.
TORONTO — Despite a hot and steamy forecast for the Labour Day long weekend, some beachgoers may want to avoid swimming in lakes around Toronto due to elevated E. Coli levels.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has posted swim advisories for five of 16 of the beaches it monitors including those on Lake Simcoe including Innisfil Beach Park and Minets Point Beach in Barrie.
Brenda Armstrong, the manager of the “Safe Water” program for the health unit says a swimming advisory is a warning that is posted when tears show more than 100 parts of E. Coli per 100 ml of water. The health unit tests the water weekly at area beaches.
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The advisory means the water contains levels of bacteria that indicate there may be an increased risk of developing minor skin, eye, ear, nose and throat infections and stomach disorders.
Armstrong says the advisory is there to give people information they need to make an “informed decision” as to whether or not they want to go swimming on beaches where there are elevated levels of E. Coli.
For those who choose to swim during a swimming advisory, it may be prudent to avoid ducking your head or swallowing the water.
Armstrong says there have been more swimming advisories this summer on Lake Simcoe beaches due to an abnormally high amount of rainfall.
Only one beach in Toronto has posted a swimming advisory, cautioning the public to swim at their own risk.
Toronto Public Health says Sunnyside beach has been “red flagged.”
TPH tests 11 beaches daily and Sunnyside beach has posted 24 swim advisories since the beginning of June.
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