Public Health Grey Bruce has lifted the no-swimming advisory for Southampton Beach.
The health unit says it has received the results of a new series of beach water samples tested over the Labour Day long weekend that show bacterial levels have returned to within Ministry of Health guidelines for safe swimming.
On Thursday, August 28th, before the Labour Day long weekend, the beach was posted as unsafe for swimming because tests showed water bacteria levels exceeding the guideline of a maximum of 200 E. coli per 100 millilitres of water.
Senior Public Health Manager Andrew Barton says in a statement, “We would like to thank the residents of Saugeen Shores and visitors to Southampton Beach for respecting the no-swim advisory over the long weekend. Beaches are posted when bacterial levels in the water could pose a risk to human health.”
Public Health samples the water at Southampton Beach between High Street and Beach Road.
They say people who swim, play in, or use beach water with high bacterial levels are at an increased risk of getting sick or an infection.
They note, water quality can change from day to day or even hour to hour depending on the weather and other conditions, and say you should not swim or play in beach water within 48 hours of heavy rainfall, if the water is so cloudy that you cannot see your feet at waist-deep, or if there is a large number of birds or algae in the water.
