Oh Poop: No Safe Swimming for Canada Day

Lions Bay Beach-goers warned of high levels of E. coli bacteria

Sign posted June 30, warning of high fecal coliform count at Lions Bay Beach. Photo by kc dyer.

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) has declared Lions Bay Beach Park (LBBP) an unsafe swimming zone as of June 30, with warning signs posted at the beach to increase public awareness. According to the advisory, Lions Bay Beach tested at coliform rate of 645 E.coli/100mL, which is more than triple the recommended rate of under 200.

VCH and their partner agencies conduct testing of local beaches every week from May through September. Samples are tested for bacteria, generally to indicate whether the amount of feces in the water from people, pets, or wildlife exceeds safety standards.

Swimming or playing in water with too high a fecal coliform count can make people ill or cause infections.

VCH sets their standards according to Health Canada’s Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality.

The posted warning did not deter all beach-goers, as a number of visitors were seen playing and swimming in the water during last evening's balmy weather.

Lions Bay Infrastructure committee member and water treatment specialist Anthony Greville points out that while numbers are high at LBBP, the E. coli numbers at both Kelvin Grove Beach and Brunswick Beach are well below the danger line, and swimming at either location is safe.

Greville says that with Kelvin Grove numbers so low, the high count at Lions Bay Beach Park is "unlikely to be a consequence of malfunction in the outflow at the Kelvin Grove sewage treatment". He says that the numbers at LBBP do need to be taken seriously, rather than just as a blip, considering the high coliform count has persisted since tests done on June 23.

Director of Public Works Karl Buhr says that the order is VCH’s to enforce, now that the municipality has posted signage at the health authority's direction. 

Buhr adds that E. coli is an indicator for a range of serious disease-carrying pathogens, and says the public would be wise to heed the order. 

Due to turn-around times and the national holiday, it's unlikely re-testing of beach water quality can take place in time to open Lions Bay beach to safe swimming on Canada Day.

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