It might be the height of summer, but taking a dip to cool off at many of Metro Vancouver beaches is currently off-limits.
Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) has issued advisories warning that nine local beaches are not suitable for swimming due to elevated E. coli levels.
The advisories cover Ambleside and Lions Bay beaches on the North Shore, along with Trail 4 at Wreck Beach, English Bay, Kitsilano Beach, Second Beach, Sunset Beach, Third Beach and Trout Lake in Vancouver.
Some sites, like Third Beach, recorded E. coli levels just slightly over the recommended testing limit, while others like Trail 4 at Wreck Beach had more than 10 times the recommended limit.
“In our institutional memory at Vancouver Coastal Health, we have not had this many beaches with that assessment all at once,” said VCH medical health officer Dr. Michael Schwandt.
E. coli is the same bacteria that can be found on vegetables or in beef. It is of particular concern for vulnerable populations, such as kids and seniors.
A major contributor to E. coli in the water comes from fecal matter, both human and animal.
“That could be from a couple of different sources, some of those could be human, so that could be boats discharging toilets out on the water, sometimes sewage leaks or overflow as well,” Schwandt said.
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“We also worry a little bit about animal sources, so geese have been implicated in some cases … here in the Vancouver area, I would think normally of human contamination, potentially some bird as well.”
Exposure to the bacteria can lead to a variety of gastrointestinal illnesses — some serious — along with potential skin irritations.
E. coli-related beach closures have become a regular occurrence in Metro Vancouver in recent years, frequently exacerbated by bouts of hot weather.
Vancouver city councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung said the city is doing what it can to address the issue.
“We put steps in place when I was on the Park Board such as offering free mobile (sewage) pump outs to boats, so trying to work towards addressing all the possible sources,” she said.
“Vancouver, being one of the oldest cities in the region, does not have all separated sewers, so we have been advancing the speed of that work. That’s very costly and it takes a long time to do that.”
Kirby-Yung added that the city has now dedicated one per cent of property tax to a dedicated infrastructure renewal fund aimed at speeding up that type of work.
But she said given Vancouver’s geography, the problem can likely only be minimized, not eradicated.
In the meantime, officials are encouraging people to enjoy the beaches but steer clear of the ocean, and to ensure they wash their hands and shower thoroughly if they do come in contact with the water.
“At this point, we are expecting these beaches to remain closed over the weekend for the most part,” Schwandt said.
“In the coming week we will hope for improved (E. coli) counts, and if that’s the case, we will be able to reopen the beaches to swimming.”
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