Accidental Beach

Source Information

Water quality samples at this beach are collected by the North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper and processed by the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta. Water is monitored for Enterococcus bacteria. High Enterococcus levels can indicate faecal contamination which poses a risk to human health. Enterococcus is measured using the qPCR method which measures enterococcus levels in Calibrator Cell Equivalents (CCE). According to the Alberta Safe Beach Protocol, the water quality in a single sample is determined as satisfactory when the CCE value is below 1280. At values between 1280 and 6400, microbial source tracking is recommended to determine if human or ruminant Bacteroides species are present. If present, the water quality is deemed unsatisfactory. The water quality of single samples with CCE greater than 6400 is deemed unsatisfactory. Three to five samples are collected at each beach and are then delivered to the University of Alberta School of Public Health lab for processing. Results from each sample will be compared against Alberta Safe Beach Protocol guidelines. Results are published on Swim Guide as soon as they are available. A beach is marked green when results from all samples were deemed satisfactory, or where results from only one sample were deemed unsatisfactory. A beach is marked red when results from two or more samples at a beach were deemed unsatisfactory. A beach is marked grey when no data is available. Enterococci levels are only one of many parameters that should be carefully considered before entering the water. The data available on Swim Guide reflects water quality at the time of sampling only. Questions regarding the Edmonton Community Monitoring Program can be directed to shaugn@swimdrinkfish.ca.