By Cecilia Nasmith
Though Cobourg's beach is still accessible on weekdays, the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit has advised the town to shut down swimming and post closure signs immediately due to high E. Coli bacteria readings found in the water.
According to SGS Canada Inc. (a leading provider of comprehensive water-quality testing that meets all provincial and national regulatory requirements, including the Safe Drinking Water Act), the latest beach and harbour water-quality report sampled on Monday showed bacteria levels at 556 (which exceeds the provincial standard of 200).
Though there is always some level of risk when swimming in natural bodies of water that are not treated for bacteria, HKPR Manager of Health Protection Bernard Mayer said in the announcement, swimming in water with those levels is not recommended as it may increase the risk of minor skin irritations, stomach illness or eye, ear, nose or throat infections. If you have been swimming there recently and experience such symptoms as vomiting or diarrhea, you are urged to seek medical attention.
Both the town and the health unit sample water weekly to monitor bacteria levels. As a result of a combination of extended high temperatures and very high white-cap waves that stirred up the bottom of the lake, the most recent rest results indicate conditions that require that swimming be banned.
The town has posted notices at the beach and signs at all entrances.
Testing occurs weekly, and the town will advise the community once bacteria levels come back down to a safe threshold.
For more information, visit the town's Water Quality Testing webpage.
