Go to the beach? You’ll want to stay out of the water at Kinsmen starting July 8 at 7 a.m. Here’s the latest beach water quality report from the Durham Region Health Department:
- Beaverton North Beach in Brock (Wellington Street and Victoria Street) became safe for swimming as of July 8
- Beaverton South Beach in Brock (Simcoe Street and Harbor Park Crescent) was safe for swimming as of July 8
- Bowmanville East Beach in Clarington (Port Darlington Road and East Beach Road) was safe for swimming as of July 8
- Bowmanville West Beach in Clarington (West Beach Road and Cove Road) was safe for swimming as of July 8
- Elgin Pond Beach in Uxbridge (Main Street South and Mill Street) proved safe for swimming as of July 8
- Frenchman’s Bay East Beach in Pickering (Wharf Street and Liverpool Road) became safe for swimming as of July 8
- Frenchman’s Bay West Beach in Pickering (West Shore Boulevard and Beachpoint Promenade) became safe for swimming as of July 8
- Heydenshore Park Beach in Whitby (South Blair Street and Water Street) was made safe for swimming from July 8
- Kinsmen Beach in Scugog (Water Street and Mary Street) became unsafe for swimming as of July 8
- Lakeview East Beach in Oshawa (Simcoe Street South and Lakeview Park Avenue) became safe for swimming as of July 8
- Lakeview West Beach in Oshawa (Kluane Avenue and Lakeview Park Avenue) became safe for swimming as of July 8
- Newcastle Beach in Clarington (Mill Street South and Boulton Street) became safe for swimming from July 8
- Paradise Beach in Ajax (Lakeview Boulevard and Paradise Lane) became safe for swimming as of July 8
- Thorah Centennial Park Beach in Brock (Shoreline Road and Thorah Concession Road 9) was safe for swimming as of July 8
During the summer, the Durham Region Health Department monitors E. coli levels at 14 public beaches. Water is considered unsafe for swimming when a sample contains 400 or more E. coli bacteria per 100 milliliters, or the geometric mean of five samples is 200 or more, according to public health guidelines from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
Collecting, transporting, and testing beach water for E. coli can take a day or more, so the latest available data may not reflect current beach conditions. Swimming is not recommended when it rains, the water is rough or cloudy, there are many birds, or for two days after a major storm.
Consuming E. coli can cause serious illness, including stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. When high levels of the bacteria are detected, other harmful organisms are more likely to be present as well, including those that cause skin rashes and infections of the eyes, ears, nose, and throat.
A beach may also be considered unsafe for swimming due to weather conditions, runoff, pollution, spills, odors, litter, sharp debris, and dead fish. Additionally, public beaches are monitored for blue-green algae, which can be highly toxic to humans, dogs, and other animals.
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This story is automatically generated at 7am and is updated every hour until 5pm as new data becomes available from Durham Region Health Department.