Hannam Park beach still considered unsafe to swim at

Ken Johnston
Editor

The summer holidays have started and kids are not able to swim at the Hannam Park beach.
That is a result of tests conducted by the Northwestern Health Unit two weeks ago that yield higher than recommended safe levels of Ecoli Bacteria in the water.
Dave Coats Public Health Inspector with NWHU said that last Monday they had good test results but just barely under the recommended level of 100 colonies per 100 ml of water. Then last Tuesday the levels rose above that parameter, hence leaving the beach posted for another week.
Tests were taken on Wednesday and the results were not known on Monday of this week when Coats was contacted. He noted that they have to have two clean test days before they can lift the warning on the beach.
If ingested Ecoli can cause flu like symptoms. While the beach is posted with warnings of unsafe swimming area, Coats said there is nothing that can be done to prosecute anyone caught swimming there.
Testing continues this week and as soon as it is safe to swim in NWHU will remove the signs.