PREPARED BY: Environmental Health
DATE: 2025-05-15
SUBJECT: 2025 Beach Water Monitoring Program
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) conducts beach water sampling in accordance with Recreational Water Protocol, 2019 and following the Operational Approaches for Recreational Water Guideline, 2018. Seasonal beach monitoring includes surveillance of water and weather conditions, and potential pollutants, as well as weekly water sampling to test for Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacteria that can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. To determine the water quality, the WECHU staff collect water samples weekly at eight local beaches:
- Sandpoint Beach
- Lakeshore Lakeview Park West Beach
- Point Pelee North West Beach
- Seacliff Park Beach
- Cedar Island Beach
- Cedar Beach
- Colchester Beach
- Holiday Beach
As mentioned in the February 6th, 2025, Board of Health Meeting report, the WECHU will also be implementing a predictive model during the 2025 beach monitoring season. The predictive model provides community access to timely estimations of what the water quality results may be and will be used to supplement weekly beach monitoring. This enhanced beach monitoring program can help residents make an informed decision on whether to use participating public beaches for swimming.
DISCUSSION
Beach Assessments and Testing
Public Health Inspectors will conduct pre-season beach assessments mid-May, with weekly surveillance and water sampling beginning May 28, 2025. Beach water sampling will take place once a week with samples collected for eight public beaches every Wednesday. The results will be made available on the WECHU’s Beach Water Testing webpage by Friday of the same week. Results will also be posted to the Beach Hotline (ext. 1490).
Predictive Model Implementation
The information for the predictive model was presented to all municipalities in February 2025 and five beaches have chosen to participate in this program. The participating beaches are:
- Sandpoint Beach
- Lakeshore Lakeview Park West Beach
- Point Pelee North West Beach
- Colchester Beach
- Holiday Beach
Implementation of the predictive modelling will begin the same week as the weekly testing program with both running from May to August. Turbidity monitors and thermometers will be provided by the WECHU for municipalities at the commencement of the season. Online training sessions on how to use turbidity monitors as well as how to complete the online survey will be provided for municipal staff.
Daily water turbidity and temperature readings will be provided by municipal staff to the WECHU, and predictive values will be calculated from Monday to Friday (except holidays). Turbidity levels and predicted E.coli count will be used as criteria to determine the level of risk for swimming for each day.
Routine beach water sampling results will take precedence over predictive modeling results and will determine warnings or beach closures. If bacterial count warrants closing the beach, modeling results will be displayed as “Not Applicable” during the period of closure. The participating beaches will continue to collect and submit turbidity and water temperature readings, regardless of weekly testing results, to the WECHU as the data will be used to further validate the model.
Level of predictive risk (high, moderate and low) for participating beaches will be displayed on the WECHU website and also be posted to the Beach Hotline (ext. 1490) daily.