FILE PHOTO
Image Credit: Steve Arstad
August 21, 2023 - 3:35 PM
A water quality advisory has been issued for a section Okanagan Lake beach in Penticton after higher-than-normal levels of E. coli bacteria were found.
Signs have been posted today, Aug. 21, at Okanagan Beach between the S.S. Sicamous and Power Street stating that water quality is poor and swimming is not advised at this time, according to a City of Penticton media release.
Interior Health testing has found E.coli levels in this portion of the lake are currently higher than those allowed in Health Canada’s guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality.
Tests found 1,500 colony-forming units of E. coli per 100 millilitre sample, which is above the maximum allowable number of 400 per 100 ml sample.
If water with a high E. coli count is ingested, swimmers can develop gastrointestinal illnesses, skin rashes and eye, ear and throat problems.
This news comes after high levels of E. coli were also discovered in Lake Country beaches on Aug. 17, 2023.
Once Interior Health determines that bacteria levels have returned to acceptable levels, the City will notify the public that the advisory has been lifted and swimming and recreational activity in the lake can resume.
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