Three more beaches have been deemed unsafe for swimming in the capital region because of high levels of bacteria.
Advisories were issued for Mount Douglas Park beach, the south end of Willows Beach and Esquimalt Gorge Park’s Kinsmen Beach. The beaches are deemed unsafe for swimming and “other water contact activities.”
A water sample from Mount Douglas Park beach on Friday recorded an enterococci bacteria count of 500. Island Health recommends beach advisories when enterococci levels exceed 70 per 100 ml.
Recent testing at Willows Beach found a count of 180, while testing at Kinsmen Beach found a count of 110.
Other capital region beaches that remain under advisories issued earlier this summer include Glen Lake Park’s Glen View, Prior Lake, Patricia Bay Beach North, and Ross Bay Beach.
A beach-sampling program takes place annually from mid-May to September, with environmental-health officers from Island Health working with local governments to monitor water quality during the swimming season.
