Water testing for levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) continues this summer at Manitoba beaches.
Results for all beaches across Manitoba are posted as they become available on Manitoba Water Stewardship’s website at www.gov.mb.ca/waterstewardship/quality/beach_table.html.
Water samples have not been collected at beaches on Lake Dauphin or Lake Manitoba due to flooding conditions. Testing will resume when these beaches become accessible.
E. coli counts have occasionally exceeded the recreational water quality guideline at a few Lake Winnipeg beaches this summer, but counts have quickly returned to within acceptable levels within 24 hours.
Water testing this week has shown that levels of E. coli were within recreational water quality guidelines at all beaches monitored by Manitoba Water Stewardship.
The number of blue-green algae cells was above the recreational water quality guideline on July 26 at Pelican Lake near Ninette, on Killarney Lake and on Rock Lake at the Christian Camp but the concentration of an algae toxin, microcystin-LR, was below the recreational water quality guideline at all three beaches. Algae advisory signs have been posted at the three beaches.
Algae blooms are difficult to predict and may form and then disperse quickly, or last for several days or weeks. Warm and calm weather coupled with relatively high nutrient loads provide ideal conditions for blue-green algae to develop.
Swimmers are reminded to avoid water where severe algae blooms are visible and to prevent pets from drinking water along the shoreline.
Visit the Manitoba beaches website at www.gov.mb.ca/waterstewardship/quality/beaches.html for information on swimmer and water safety, and what you can do to help protect beaches by following the water-smart precautions listed on the website.
