Sasamat Lake, Outdoor Centre

Source Information

Fraser Health Authority monitors the water quality at 42 Fraser Valley beaches. Sampling is conducted during the height of swim season (May – September). Sampling days rotate on a constant basis and are taken by a number of different samplers. There isn’t always specific sample dated noted when FHA posts its test results. Fraser Health Authority recommends that Swim Guide use the posting date rather than the sample date. Fraser Health follows the Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality. Recreational water is considered safe if the geometric mean result is under 200 E.coli/100mL. If the geometric mean exceeds 200 E.coli/100mL, a series of single sample results exceed a maximum of 400 E.coli/100mL and/or in the event of a known hazard or spill, the Medical Health Officer will make an assessment of the risk to human health. If there is a risk to human health, a warning sign will be posted at the beach. Results are communicated on the Fraser Health website (http://www.fraserhealth.ca/health-info/health-topics/recreational-water/beach-conditions/). Fraser Riverkeeper updates Swim Guide according to these results, as soon as they become available. Test results for Fraser Valley beaches are posted weekly. Recreational water quality for a beach is determined by E. coli counts from a laboratory approved by the BC Provincial Health Officer for Provincial Drinking Water and Microbiology Testing. A beach is marked Green when single sample results are under 200 E.coli / 100 ML water. A beach is marked Red when the results are equal to or above 200 E.coli / 100 ML water or a series of single sample test results exceed a maximum of 400 E.coli/100mL. A beach is marked Grey when there are no current results or there is no available information.