Three Toronto beaches deemed unsafe for swimming due to high E.coli levels
Posted July 15, 2023 7:47 am.
Last Updated July 16, 2023 2:30 pm.
Three Toronto beaches have been declared unsafe for swimming this weekend due to high levels of E.coli in the water.
Cherry Beach, Sunnyside Beach and Centre Island Beach are all flying the red flag Sunday after E.coli levels exceeded the City of Toronto’s established beach water quality standard of 100 E.coli per 100 ml of water.
Saturday, half of the city’s beaches were declared off limits however, E.coli levels at Ward’s Island Beach, Marie Curtis Park East Beach, and Kew Balmy Beach have all fallen to acceptable levels according to beach water samples taken over the past 24 hours.
Toronto Public Health officials note that swimming in waters with high E.coli levels exposes bathers to an increased risk of infections, including ear, eye, nose, throat and skin infections.
If beach water is ingested, it may cause upset stomach, vomiting or diarrhea.
Young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are at a greater risk for serious illness from infected waters.
Every year between June and September, the City of Toronto’s Parks, Forestry & Recreation division collects daily water samples from Toronto’s supervised public beaches to be tested for E.coli bacteria.
