PREPARED BY: Environmental Health
DATE: March 20, 2025
SUBJECT: Beach Water Quality Results - Follow-up
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit conducts beach water sampling in accordance with Recreational Water Protocol, 2019 and following the Operational Approaches for Recreational Water Guideline, 2018. The goal of the program is to prevent the incidence of water-borne illnesses and injuries related to recreational water use, and to mitigate risk by preventing the use of public beaches under adverse conditions.
During the 2024 beach monitoring season, eight public beaches were monitored with weekly water samples collected to test for the harmful bacteria indicator E. coli. Water quality warnings are issued when results are 201-999 E. coli/100ml, and beach closures are issued when results are equal to or greater than 1000 E. coli/100ml.
2024 Beach Monitoring Program: The program ran for a total of 99 days, with weekly water sampling conducted from May 22 to August 28, 2024.
| Name of Beach | Closures | Number of Days Closed |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Beach | 0 | 0 |
| Cedar Island Beach | 0 | 0 |
| Colchester Beach | 1 | 7 |
| Holiday Beach | 4 | 28 |
| Lakeshore Lakeview Park W. Beach | 2 | 14 |
| Point Pelee North West Beach | 0 | 0 |
| Sandpoint Beach | 2 | 14 |
| Seacliff Beach | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 9 | 63 |
There were 9 beach closures for a total of 63 days where beaches were closed in the 2024 season.
DISCUSSION
For the 2025 Beach Monitoring season, Public Health Inspectors will conduct pre-season beach assessments at the end of May, with weekly surveillance and water sampling beginning on June 4, 2025. Beach water sampling will take place every Wednesday and results will be made available on the health unit’s Beach Water Testing webpage and will also posted to the Beach Hotline (ext. 1490).
In addition, the predictive model shared at the February 6th, 2025 Board of Health meeting was presented to all municipalities and to date four beaches will be participating in the enhanced beach monitoring program. The results for participating beaches will be displayed on the WECHU website daily throughout the season along with the routine weekly beach sampling results.