If you’re planning on taking a dip before watching the sky light up during Vancouver’s Celebration of Light Wednesday, you might want to check the water quality before you put your toe in.
Vancouver Coastal Health says eight beaches across Metro Vancouver remain closed due to elevated E. coli levels, a week after the initial advisory was put in place.
They include English Bay, Kitsilano Beach, Second Beach in Vancouver, Dundarave Beach in West Vancouver, Sunset Beach, Third Beach in Stanley Park, Lions Bay, and Trout Lake.
According to VCH, there may be many reasons why the levels of E. coli are elevated. The health authority says surface runoff from contaminated sources, sewage system overflows, and leaking septic tanks or discharge from boats in the area could contribute to the readings.
“In most cases, repeat single sample results exceeding 400 E.coli/100 mL or a geometric mean of 200 E.coli/100 mL will lead to a swimming advisory,” VCH said.
“High counts of E. coli in recreational water may increase the chances of gastrointestinal illnesses and skin/eye infection.”
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If you do decide to swim, VCH says there’s no way to say for sure whether you may become sick, but you “will have a higher chance of getting sick.”
“The risk of getting sick is higher if you engage in primary contact recreational activities, such as swimming, paddle boarding and surfing, as your whole body is immersed. You will have a higher chance to swallow water or get water in the nose, eyes, ears, or an open wound,” it explained.
“Examples of possible illness include stomach upset, ear infection, sore throat, or wound infection. If you engage in secondary contact recreational activities, such as canoeing, kayaking, sailing and fishing, or where only regular wetting of limbs is involved and swallowing of water is not usual, the risk of getting sick will be lower.”
