UPDATE: The water quality and swimming advisory for Rotary Park Beach in Kelowna has been lifted.
According to the City of Kelowna, Interior Health lifted the swimming advisory effectively immediately.
It said on Friday that testing indicates the beach now meets Health Canada guidelines at 60 E.coli per 100-millilitre sample.
A swimming advisory for the beach was put in place on Thursday when bacterial counts measured 420 E. coli per per 100-millilitre sample, double the standard of 200 E.coli per 100-millilitre sample.
The city said when bacterial counts are above the standard, swimming, particularly in shallow water, may increase the risk of illness.
“Beach water quality can fluctuate due to a number of factors including lake currents, changing environmental factors, waterfowl, warm weather and swimmers which stirs up the lake bottom,” said Blair Stewart, city parks services manager.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A water quality and swimming advisory has been issued for Rotary Park Beach in Kelowna.
The City of Kelowna says the beach is not closed, but swimming advisory signs have been posted so that water users “can make an informed choice.”
The advisory, according to Interior Health, is due to unacceptable water quality results. The city says bacterial levels are currently higher than Health Canada standards.
The city says the maximum allowable number of E. coli bacteria in recreational water is 200 per 100 millilitre sample. Testing results done on Aug. 26 at Rotary Beach show levels of 420 E. coli per 100 millilitres of water.
“We are asking the public not to swim or engage in water-related recreation activities at Rotary Beach until the water quality advisory has been lifted,” said Blair Stewart, the city’s park services manager.
“Most people would be fine, but there is that one per cent who could become ill.”
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The city noted that observations over the past 10 days at Rotary indicated there was a large amount of plant material on the beach, as well as in the water.
It added beach water quality can fluctuate due to a number of different factors, including currents, runoff, creek outflows, waterfowl and animal waste.
“The very young, the elderly and people with weakened immunity are the most susceptible to infection related to bacterial counts in the water,” the city said in a press release.
“When E. coli reaches 200 units per 100 millilitre sample, it’s expected that one per cent of bathers may develop gastrointestinal (stomach) illness if these bacteria are ingested. Eye, ear and throat symptoms, as well as skin rashes (not swimmer’s itch), can occur more frequently.”
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The city says other Kelowna beaches are not under swimming advisories and are safe for swimming at this time.
The city says when bacteria levels have returned to acceptable levels at Rotary Park Beach, the swimming advisory will be lifted.
For more about Interior Health’s sampling results, click here.
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