With school out and summer break officially underway in Chatham-Kent, many families will be hitting the beach this weekend.
Staff with Chatham-Kent Public Health conducted their first round of water quality testing on Monday, June 22 and while all beaches remain open, high levels of E. Coli bacteria were found at Getty’s Beach.
Beach goers are urged to use caution, as health officials said there is always a risk of injury or illness when swimming in water with high E. Coli, which can also contain other harmful germs.
The health unit collects water samples from public beaches within Chatham-Kent between June and September to test for the presence of E. Coli bacteria.
Officials say the basic rule of thumb is that as long as it didn’t rain heavily that day or the day before and wasn’t terribly windy and wavy, the water should be safe for swimming.
Beach closures, which are rare, happen when there has been a chemical, oil, sewage, or other waste spill; blue green algae blooms; fish or other wildlife die-off; or when safety hazards, such as sharp objects, are found.
You can find the latest water test results on the Municipality of Chatham-Kent website.