High levels of bacteria in Lake Ontario closes 3 Toronto beaches

Why storms can make some beaches unsafe to swim Storm run off can be a major contributor to high bacteria levels, causing some Toronto beaches to become unsafe to swim.

Three Toronto beaches have been deemed unsafe to swim due to high levels of bacteria in Lake Ontario on Friday.

E.coli levels at Marie Curtis Park East in Mississauga, Sunnyside Beach in downtown Toronto, and Kew Balmy Beach in the Beaches have been labelled as “unsafe to swim” by the City of Toronto ahead of the weekend.

E. coli are a bacteria that can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses, according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

The levels are predicted to be above 100 E.coli per 100ml of water, which may pose a risk to human health, according to the city’s water quality data.

The current conditions are based on bacteria counts in beach water samples taken on Thursday after heavy rain dampened the city. The city advises against swimming after storms, floods, and heavy rainfall.

“Cloudy water can be an indicator of high levels of bacteria that may pose a risk to human health,” the city stated on its website.

Data was unavailable for an advisory at another three beaches: Hanlan’s Point, Gibraltar Point and Centre Island.