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Stay out of the water at one Halton public beach

Here’s the latest beach water quality report from Halton Region Public Health as of July 13 at 5 p.m.

Updated
1 min read
Halton beaches

These Halton public beaches are tested for bacteria to determine if the water is safe for swimming


Heading to the beach? You’ll want to stay out of the water at Prospect Park Old Beach * as of July 13 at 5 p.m. Here’s the latest beach water quality report from Halton Region Public Health:

  • Beachway Beach in Burlington (1094 Lakeshore Road) tested safe for swimming on Invalid Date

According to public health guidelines from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, water is considered unsafe for swimming when one sample contains 400 or more E. coli bacteria per 100 millilitres, or the geometric mean of five samples is 200 or more.

Collecting, transporting and testing beach water for E. coli can take a day or more, so the latest available data may not reflect current conditions at the beach. Swimming is not recommended when it’s raining, the water is wavy or cloudy, there are lots of birds, or for two days after a big storm.

Consuming E. coli can cause serious illness, including stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. When high levels of the bacteria are detected it’s more likely that other harmful organisms are present as well, including those that cause skin rashes and eye, ear, nose and throat infections.

A beach may also be considered unsafe for swimming due to weather conditions, runoff, pollution, spills, smells, garbage, sharp debris and dead fish. In addition, public beaches are monitored for blue-green algae, which can be highly toxic to humans, dogs and other animals.

About this story

This story is automatically generated using data from .

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The Torstar Open Data Team produces articles using data and automation. Topics include weather forecasts, highway closures, restaurant inspections, beach water quality reports and election results. The team is Lucas Timmons and Cody Gault with support from the Star and Metroland’s editorial and technical teams.

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