July 30 Beach Results Issued Friday, July 29, 2011!
Surface Runoff Carries Pollutants!
Beach Posted Closed-What Does It Mean?
Public beaches are posted when the water contains high levels of E.coli or environmental contaminants that could affect the health and safety of bathers. Swimming in water that has been posted can cause health problems ranging from minor eye, skin, ear, nose and throat infections to more serious illnesses such as gastrointestinal sickness.
Why Beaches Are Closing
RAIN explains conventional approaches to urban landscaping and storm water management allow storm water runoff to: transport pollution directly into lakes and rivers;erode shorelines, causing loss of topsoil that hastens further runoff; warm up surface water, making it more susceptible to waterborne bacteria; overflow sewage treatment facilities, allowing untreated human waste to flow directly into surface water; and rob groundwater aquifers of adequate recharge capacity. So what can be done?Help Keep Our Beaches Open!
Everyone can be part of the solution to this problem. The Ministry of the Environment encourages people to take a proactive role in keeping our water clean by establishing branches of grass roots moments such RAIN, and even has funding available to non-profit groups help solve problems caused by storm water run off..Slow Rain Offers Solutions
RAIN, a joint program of Green Communities Canada, based in Peterborough, aims to help communities take immediate action to divert thousands of litres of polluted&storm water from entering the system. RAIN has a three prong approach to the problem of storm water run off.:
- Slow It Down - capturing water in gardens, lawns,rainbarells,urban forests then releasing it more slowly.
- Soak It Up - through using porous paving, native trees and bushes,and building rain gardens.
- Keep It Clean - through proper disposal of dog feces and cigarette butts, decreasing pollutants washed off cars, and increasing use of natural fertilizers and cleaners.
Eight Beaches Closed
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit reports the following beach testing results for the City of Kawartha Lakes.The following information is current for the week of July 25, 2011, and is based on the most recent test results from the provincial lab in Peterborough for water samples taken from these beaches. The Health Unit advises local residents to note:
- Beaches marked as ‘OPEN’ are considered within acceptable levels as set out in the Ontario government’s Beach Management Protocol.
- Beaches marked ‘POSTED’ indicate bacterial levels in the water are higher than those considered acceptable as set out in the Ontario government’s Beach Management Protocol, making them unsafe for bathing.
Balsam Lake Road Beach OPEN
Coboconk Lions Park Beach POSTED
Bobcaygeon Area
Beach Park OPEN
Riverview Beach Park OPEN
Carden Township Area
Carden Township Beach POSTED
Foxe’s Beach OPEN
Dalton Township Area
Dalton Township Beach POSTED Eldon Township Area
Centennial Park East POSTED
Centennial Park West Results Unavailable This Week
Emily/Omemee Area
Omemee Beach POSTED
Fenelon Falls Area
Birch Point OPEN
Bond Street OPEN
Ken Reid Conservation Area OPEN
Killarney Bay OPEN
Long Beach OPEN
Sturgeon Point Beach OPEN
Laxton Township Area
Elliott Falls Beach OPEN
Head Lake OPEN
Norland Bathing Area OPEN
Mariposa Township Area
Sandbar Beach POSTED
Somerville Township Area
Burnt River Beach – Somerville OPEN
Burnt River Four Mile Lake OPEN
Verulam Township Area
Centennial Beach – Verulam POSTED
Verulam Recreational Park POSTED
To learn more about the testing of beach water, contact the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit toll-free at 1-866-888-4577 or visit www.hkpr.on.ca
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