There’s a crappy situation shaping up at a pair of popular swimming spots in the Lower Mainland, as two Metro Vancouver beaches have been closed due to high levels of E. coli bacteria.
Trout Lake in Vancouver and Burnaby’s Barnet Marine Park have both exceeded bacteria levels that are considered safe for the public.
At Trout Lake, levels were measured at 259 E. coli per 100 mL of water. Vancouver Coastal Health considers 200 to be the maximum to allow swimming.
E. coli is the same bacteria that can be found on vegetables or in beef. It is of particular concern for for vulnerable populations such as kids and seniors.
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Vancouver Coastal Health Spokesperson Tiffany Akin said the measure is a precaution, but the possibility of gastrointestinal illness, or in extreme cases, respiratory illness, is a reality.
“People who have been possibly exposed to contaminated water should rinse off really well using soap and clean water, paying special attention to any kind of cuts or abrasions they may have and drying out their ears, take a shower and wash swimsuits and towels and any other clothing that might have gotten wet,” she said.
“If you do start to feel sick though, you should seek medical attention.”
Vancouver Park Board biologist Nick Page said the city has done intensive studies around contamination at Trout Lake over the past several decades, which have revealed that human waste is not to blame.
Instead, the culprit is most likely bird feces in the lake that lacks fresh water inflows and outflows.
“We have a family of geese that has a nest with three or four teenage goslings at this point, and they’re kind of resident on that same beach that people use for swimming. The lifeguards do their job of removing some of the waste, but it is a likely cause of contamination in that swimming area.”
Page said closures at Trout Lake have declined significantly in recent years, and usually are short-lived.
Water quality in Vancouver’s False Creek East is also below what is considered safe, with E. coli levels coming in at more than 1,000 per 100 mL.
However the area is not designated for swimming.
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In Burnaby, samples determined the water at the Barnet Marine Park to have topped 400 E. coli per 100 mL of water.
Fraser Health spokesperson Timonthy Millard said the beach has been closed since last week, but that such closures are not uncommon.
“It is the time of year that we do monitor beaches,” he said.
“Anyone, after being in the water and ingesting the water or after being in contact in the water and not washing their hands before eating food, they should seek medical attention.”
Millard said the bacteria levels have been slowly subsiding, and that the beach is expected to reopen in the coming weeks.
Akin said officials with Vancouver Coastal Health are continuing to monitor Trout Lake, and that they will issue a public notification when the beach reopens.
“Trust me, no one wants a gastrointestinal illness, they are not fun,” she said.
“So please enjoy one of Vancouver’s many other beaches that are safe to swim in right now.”
You can keep an eye on beach water quality for the Vancouver Coastal Health region here and the Fraser Health region here.
-With a file from Caley Bedore