Source Information
The Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit samples beaches weekly from mid-June to late August. When the information is posted on the CKPHU website, Swim Drink Fish updates Swim Guide. As of 2018, Ontario beaches are following the Operational Approaches for Recreational Water Guideline, 2018, and the Recreational Water Protocol, 2018, for geometric mean and single-sample maximum parameters. These are now equivalent to those set out in the Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality – Third Edition, 2012.
A beach is marked as "HIGH LEVELS OF BACTERIA" on the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit website when the geometric mean concentration (minimum of five samples) is above 200 E. coli/100 mL, or if a single-sample maximum concentration is above 400 E. coli/100 mL. (These values replace the previous, more stringent Ontario standard: a geometric mean of 100 E. coli/100 mL.)
A beach is marked as "LOW LEVELS OF BACTERIA" when the geometric mean of 5 samples collected within a 30-day period is below 200 E. coli / 100 ml of water and the single sample value is below 400 E.coli/100mL. A beach is marked Grey when reliable or up-to-date information is not available. DISCLAIMER: Historical data from 2017 and prior reflect the previous Ontario standard of a geometric mean of 100 E. coli /100 mL. Historical data from 2018 onward reflect the new Ontario Operational Approaches for Recreational Water Guideline, 2018: Geometric mean concentration 200 E. coli/ 100 mL and single-sample maximum concentration of 400 E. coli /100 mL.
The Ministry of the Environment Procedure F-5-5 says that a clean beach is open at least 95% of the swimming season, even if it is near a sewage pipe or combined sewer outfall. This rule applies to every place that is public, accessible, and feels like a good place to swim. When all else fails, the Ontario Environmental Protection Act strongly states that no one can interfere with the use that you can make of a public waterway - like swimming!
