Sunnyside Beach and Centre Island deemed unsafe to swim due to E.coli
Posted September 3, 2023 2:48 pm.
Last Updated September 3, 2023 3:17 pm.
The City of Toronto has deemed Sunnyside Beach and Centre Island unsafe to swim in due to high levels of E.coli.
Conditions for safe swimming are based upon E. coli counts in beach water samples taken over the past 24 hours, and the City of Toronto’s established beach water quality standard is 100 E.coli per 100 ml of water.
Beaches that are still safe to swim in include Marie Curtis Park East Beach, Hanlan’s Point Beach, Gibraltar Point Beach, Ward’s Island Beach, Cherry Beach, Woodbine Beaches, Kew Balmy Beach and Bluffer’s Beach Park.
Swimming is not recommended during and after storms, floods, or heavy rainfall, and the City says to look out for cloudy water as it can be an indicator of high levels of bacteria that may pose a risk to human health including increased risk of infections, including ear, eye, nose, throat and skin infections. If ingested, beach water 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.
With files from John Marchesan.
