Geese, rain blamed for above average E. coli counts
Geese, rain blamed for above average E. coli counts
Georgina
October 15, 2008 07:00 PM
By: John Slykhuis
Georgina’s North Gwillimbury Park Beach and Willow Beach dock had the cleanest water last summer with no beach postings for high E. coli levels while the dirtiest was Jackson’s Point Beach which had excessive E. coli readings 18 times.
The beach remained posted for most of the summer.
The small harbour swimming area has a large Canada goose population that accounts for much of the contamination.
Coming in at No. 2 was Claredon Beach in Keswick with 14 postings.
“Overall, we had more postings this year because of heavy rain,” Becky Hester, York Region senior health inspector, said. “There was a record amount of rainfall this year.”
This year’s large carp dieoff didn’t affect bacterial levels and, while being a major nuisance, had no health concerns for humans, she added.
However, while the carp dieoff didn’t affect readings, it was still unpleasant for people living along the shoreline, she said.
When York Region health officials find the water has more than 100 E. coli per 100 mililitres of water tests are done again the following day and the warning signs come down if the levels are in the acceptable range.
Five water samples were taken at Georgina’s 13 beaches between June 18 and Aug. 27.
Rounding out the results, De La Salle Park beach and Willow Beach were each posted nine times.
Next was Keswick Beach with seven, Glenwoods Beach and Peninsula Beach, five, Franklin Beach, four, Holmes Point, three, Balfour Balfour Beach and Island Grove, one posting.
Numbers spiked sharply after two severe thunderstorms in July and August, the heavy rain washing heavy amounts of E. coli into the lake with one reading in excess of 7,000 E. coli per 100 mililitres at Jackson’s Point Beach July 21.
“We know after heavy rain the counts go up, but you really saw it after the two storms in July and August. There were big spikes for all the beaches,” Ms Hester said.
Permanent signs warn against going in the water for up to 48 hours after a heavy rainfall.
The heavy rains also had an affect on the quantity of lake weeds this year, town operations manager Bob Fortier said.
The annual weed harvest was suspended last week after the contractor called out for a job with Hydro One, but Mr. Fortier said there was a heavy weed accumulation along the shoreline, possibly the worst in years.
“We want him to come back in, but he’s never been this late in the year and he wasn’t sure if he could get toward shore with the water levels dropped at the Trent-Severn Waterway.”
Council re-hired Inland Aquatics to handle the job this year and budgeted to cost about $175,000.
If successfully, the company has been contracted to come back next year with a 3 per cent price increase.
Last year’s weed accumulation was relatively light because of the drought, with E. coli readings are beaches also showing lower levels.
The region’s beach inspectors not only record E. coli, but also other factors, such as the number of swimmers, dead fish, waterfowl, rainfall, wind, wave action and weather conditions including water temperatures. Warmer water can cause a rise in bacteria present.