— Slater says lake testing & info signs is right thing to do —
By Julie TurnerrnOsoyoos Times
(OSOYOOS TIMES — July 12, 2006)
With the summer tourist season in full swing, many are flocking to the beaches for sun and recreation.
Interior Health Authority spokesman Ken Cooper says regular testing of water quality at Osoyoos beaches needs to start soon. This follows increased monitoring of beach water quality which has already begun up the valley, including Kelowna and Penticton, a move that Interior Health says will ensure swimmers know that bacteria in the water are at safe levels.
New IHA guidelines are in place to sample water on a regular basis (five samples over a period of 30 days) in order to get a trend on the water quality. Meetings between IHA and Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton city councils have already taken place, and IHA is scheduled to meet with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen on July 20.
IHA spokesman Ken Cooper says the water quality in Okanagan lakes has not deteriorated, but in the past testing has been hit and miss.
We want to be consistent and have tests done regularly, he says, adding IHA will focus on beaches and parks that see over 100 swimmers a day. Each beach has its own characteristics which affect the levels of microorganisms. Bacteria reside on the base, but wind action and swimmers can stir up sediments. Also, in warmer weather there can be an escalation in bacterial growth.
Levels exceeding a count of 200 fecal coliforms per 100-millitre sample pose an increased health risk, especially for the very young, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
Cooper says testing has not yet begun in Osoyoos and needs to start soon. By regularly monitoring E-coli and fecal coliforms, IHA says municipalities can advise swimmers of any risks. Language is now being drafted for beach signage.
Mayor John Slater said last week he understood IHA is concentrating on some historically high-risk areas in the North and Central Okanagan. He will attend the July 20 meeting in Penticton.
They want to be proactive on letting the public know about water quality. I'm satisfied Interior Health is doing the right thing. These are our beaches and we need to know they're safe, Slater says. He adds he's not concerned about the water quality of any Osoyoos beaches. We have all the historical data over the last 10 years and we haven't had a single incident [of high bacterial levels].rnFor more information on beach water quality, go to the IHA website at www.interiorhealth.ca, click on Health and Safety then link to Recreational Water.
