10 Durham beaches given ‘no swim’ postings; four, including both in Pickering, declared safe

Heatwaves and recent rain have taken their toll on Durham Region’s 14 public beaches, with 10 posted as unsafe for swimming this weekend because of elevated levels of E. coli.

Four beaches – Pickering’s two beaches at Frenchman’s Bay West and Frenchman’s Bay East and two of Beaverton’s three beaches on Lake Simcoe — have been declared safe, though each comes with the proviso to swim with caution.

Beaches are posted as unsafe for swimming when elevated levels of E. coli exceed the provincial standard of 200 E. coli per 100 ml of water.

The Health Department reminds the public not to swim in beach water for at least 48 hours after heavy rainfall, as bacteria levels can increase due to run-off.

Kinsmen Beach at Port Perry’s Palmer Park on Lake Scugog – one of the ten beaches to get a ‘do not swim’ sign – also has blue-green algae advisory. People can protect themselves and their pets from blue-green algae blooms by not swimming or playing in areas where water is discoloured or where foam, scum, or mats of algae on the water’s surface are present. Consuming fish from areas where mats of algae are present is also not advised.

Durham Region’s Health Department conducts bacteriological water tests on all 14 beaches throughout the summer to determine if beaches are safe for swimming. The Public Health Ontario Laboratory in Peterborough tests the water samples and results are shared with the media by the Friday of each week.

Frenchman’s Bay East and Frenchman’s Bay West in Pickering and Beaverton North and Thorah Centennial Park Beach were the only beaches to receive a passing grade.

The ten beaches posted as unsafe were Kinsmen Beach in Port Perry and Beaverton South, as well as eight beaches on Lake Ontario: Paradise Beach in Ajax, Lakeview Beach East and Lakeview Beach West in Oshawa and Bowmanville East, Bowmanville West and Newcastle Beach Central in Clarington.

For more information about the Health Department’s Beach Monitoring program, visit durham.ca/beaches, or call Durham Health Connection Line at (905) 668-2020 or 1-800-841-2729.