Water quality tests begin at beaches in York Region

CTVnews.ca
June 13, 2016
By K.C. Colby

It may be a little chilly to go for a swim, but officials in York Region are keeping a close eye on water quality.

York Region health inspectors are testing the water at local beaches for E. coli bacteria and they say these chilly temperatures are a good thing.

“The chances of bacteria being elevated at that time are greatly reduced because the water temperature is still very cold,” says Bernard Mayer of York Region Public Health.

Data is recorded in the water and on land. Wind direction, speed and ultra violet levels are all a part of the information gathered.

“Every one of our beaches we take a minimum five samples per week, starting this week, right until the end of August.”

Wave height is also recorded, as is cloudiness or "turbidity" of the water. This can provide a good visual sign of pollutants.

“On a day like today, the wind is blowing towards shore. Lots of turbidity; things are getting all stirred up. We see the E. coli counts a little elevated.

Pollutants are generally worst after heavy rainfall and while people and pets add to the problem, there are bigger polluters.

“Our indicators tell us that the worst polluters are probably the seagulls and the Canadian geese. Particularly after a heavy rainfall, a lot of the feces from the birds will be washed into the water, which increases the counts of E. coli in the water.”