The health unit monitors and assesses over 28 public beaches across our region. In addition to public health assessments of each beach, health unit staff sample beach water quality monthly and responds to complaints. Click here to see which public beaches are monitored throughout the summer season and their most recent beach water sampling results.
Beach Health and Safety
While planning a trip to the beach, ensure that you think about weather events that have happened within the last 2 days. Water may contain high levels of bacteria for up to 2 days following heavy rainfall or strong winds. Also, watch for water fowl like geese, gulls and ducks. Large numbers of water fowl at a beach can result in high bacteria levels making the beach unsafe.
The health unit recommends that beach users follow these safety tips to prevent illness or injury:
- Do not drink the water
- Supervise your children at all times
- Don’t swim with an open cut or wound
- Avoid swimming if the water is cloudy or murky
- Check for physical hazards before going into the water
- Wash your hands after swimming if you are handling food
- Wear sunscreen
Please note that some beaches and all playgrounds across our region are smoke free.
All of the public beaches that are monitored by the health unit have permanent signage installed in designated locations. The permanent sign allows individuals to use their own judgment about whether or not it is safe to swim based on the current beach conditions.
In addition red closure signs are posted when there are very high levels of bacteria that exist in the water, and it is unsafe to swim. They are also used if there are any physical or chemical hazards present at the beach. Individuals should not swim at beaches where this sign is posted.
All beach water sampling results are made available to the public.
Click here to view the most recent beach water sampling results and closures for public beaches in our region.
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