This beautiful weather forecast in Niagara has a lot of residents thinking about hitting the beach.
What if your usual spot is posted as unsafe for swimming? What are the risks?
Glen Hudgin, Manager in Environmental Health with Niagara Region Public Health tells CKTB's Larry Fedoruk that beaches are posted as unsafe for swimming when water tests show unacceptable levels of E. Coli bacteria, or because of floating debris, oil, excessive weed growth, bad odours and general turbidity.
He says if you swim in those conditions you are at risk for infections of the eye, ear, nose, throat and skin.
Hudgin says you can also suffer intestinal issues from swallowing the water.
As of July 28th, 8 Niagara beaches are unsafe for swimming.
Those beaches are:
- Casablanca Beach in Grimsby
- Charles Daley in Lincoln
- Grimsby Beach in Grimsby
- Jones Beach in St. Catharines
- Lakeside Beach in St. Catharines
- Long Beach Conservation East in Wainfleet
- Nelles Beach in Grimsby
- Waverly Beach in Fort Erie
The beaches are tested almost everyday.
To check back on the beach quality, click here.