Unhealthy bacterial levels have shuttered two beaches in Grey Bruce counties. The Grey Bruce Public Health unit (GBPH) has taken samples from the Saugeen Shores area and has posted notices at Port Elgin Main Beach and Southampton Beach not to swim there. Health unit tests reveal unhealthy amounts of E-coli in the water. “While we know residents and visitors want to enjoy these final weeks of August and make the most of summer, we respectfully ask that everyone follow this advisory... until the postings are lifted,” said Chimere Okoronkwo, GBPH’s senior public health manager. “Swimming in water with elevated bacterial levels can increase the risk of illness or infection,” Okoronkwo said. The beach postings will remain in effect until further samples show levels have returned to within the acceptable range for swimming/bathing. GBPH took water samples from the two beaches earlier this week. Further samples will be taken Thursday. GBPH implements a beach water monitoring program each summer to test the water at high-use beaches in Grey-Bruce for E. coli levels Residents and visitors should refrain from swimming or playing in the beach water at Port Elgin Main Beach and Southampton Beach and should not let pets drink or play in the water until the unsafe-for-swimming advisory is lifted. Even if a beach is not posted as unsafe for swimming, Grey Bruce Public Health staff suggest people assess the water’s condition in real time and use their best judgment before swimming or playing in the water. GBPH recommends avoiding swimming 24-to-48 hours after heavy rainfall, or if you can’t see your feet in waist-deep water. Water with bacterial levels above provincial standards for bathing can increase the risk of eye, ear, nose, throat and skin infections or gastrointestinal illness.
