Two more swimming spots in and around Victoria have been added to the list of beach advisories.
The Capital Regional District (CRD) issued a warning on Wednesday for Langford Lake after detecting a high amount of E. Coli in the water.
Langford Lake’s previous measurement, performed on July 16th, hit 27 E. Coli per 100 ml, whereas July 23rd’s sample came back with 423 per 100 ml—well above what’s considered safe for swimming.
Secondly, Esquimalt Lagoon has been under an advisory since July 21st for the presence of Enterococci, which read at 1359 per 100 ml compared to the 5 per 100 ml found on July 2nd.
Both E. Coli and Enterococci are indicators of fecal matter. E. coli or enterococci are used as the primary indicators of fecal material in fresh waters, while enterococci is the preferred indicator for marine waters
According to the government of Canada, E. Coli/Enterococci can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache, mild fever, severe stomach cramps, and watery or bloody diarrhea.
Pregnant people, children under 5-years-old, adults over 60-years-old and immunocompromised people are the most at risk.
If you’re planning to hit the water this week, it’s worth checking the latest advisories from Island Health or the CRD before heading out.
