It has been a red flag summer at Ottawa’s beaches, with no-swimming advisories issued at each bench more than 20 per cent of the season.
A no-swimming advisory has been issued for Mooney’s Bay Beach on Wednesday due to high levels of e-coli. Swimming is recommended at Britannia Beach, Petrie East Bay and Petrie River beaches on Wednesday.
Statistics available on the Ottawa Public Health website show this is the 11th day with a no-swimming advisory at Mooney’s Bay Beach since the start of the beach season on June 15.
No-swimming advisories have been issued 16 times at Petrie East Bay beach, 12 days at Petrie River beach and 11 days at Britannia Beach since the middle of June.
The no-swimming advisories have been issued during a wet summer in Ottawa. The capital has received 150 mm of rain so far in July, after receiving 149.5 mm of rain in June.
Ottawa Public Health issues swim advisories based on water sample results from the previous day. The health unit will issue a no-swimming advisory if water samples are greater than 200 e.coli per 100 ml of water.
Here’s a look at the number of no-swimming advisories issued in Ottawa over the past four summers.
2024
- Petrie River: 12 days
- Petrie East Bay: 16 days
- Mooney’s Bay Beach – 11 days
- Britannia Beach – 11 days
2023
- Petrie River – 21 days
- Petrie East Bay – 21 days
- Mooney’s Bay – 24 days
- Britannia Beach – 13 days
2022
- Petrie River – 6 days
- Petrie East Bay – 17 days
- Mooney’s Bay – 5 days
- Britannia Beach – 11 days
2021
- Petrie River – 5
- Petrie East Bay – 30
- Mooney’s Bay – 7
- Britannia Beach – 5