Water testing this week has shown that levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) were within recreational water quality guidelines at all beaches monitored by Manitoba Water Stewardship.
Water samples have not been collected at most beaches on Lake Dauphin and Lake Manitoba due to flooding conditions. Testing will resume when these beaches become accessible.
Results for all beaches across Manitoba are posted as they become available on Manitoba Water Stewardship’s website.
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.
The number of blue-green algae cells was above the recreational water quality guideline on Aug. 30 at Pelican Lake (north and south beaches). Algae advisory signs have been posted on these beaches. The concentration of the algal toxin microcystin-LR was briefly over the guideline last week at Pelican Lake south beach (Pleasant Valley) but levels are currently within recreational water quality guidelines at both the north and south beaches.
Information on advisory signs posted at beaches is available online.
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.
Owners are reminded to prevent pets from drinking water along shorelines with dense algae blooms as algae toxins can be fatal to animals.
More information on swimmer and water safety is available online.
