PREPARED BY: Environmental Health
DATE: 2026-05-14
SUBJECT: Summer Seasonal Program in Environmental Health
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) delivers various seasonal programs during summer months that are mandated under the Ontario Public Health Standards. The Beach Water Monitoring Program which is conducted in accordance with Recreational Water Protocol, 2019 and the Operational Approaches for Recreational Water Guideline, 2018, aims to prevent water‑borne illnesses and injuries by monitoring recreational water quality and restricting beach use under adverse conditions. The WECHU continues to conduct the Mosquito Surveillance Program and Active Tick Surveillance annually which provides early warning of vector‑borne activity and disease risks by monitoring mosquito and tick populations across Windsor‑Essex County (WEC) and promoting evidence‑based prevention strategies to reduce community exposure.
DISCUSSION
Beach Monitoring Program: Seasonal beach monitoring will be conducted from May 27 to August 26, 2026, at seven public beaches - Lakeshore Lakeview Park West Beach, Point Pelee North West Beach, Seacliff Beach, Cedar Island Beach, Cedar Beach, Colchester Beach, and Holiday Beach. Each week, bacteriological samples will be collected and tested for Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacteria found in the feces of humans and warm‑blooded animals. High levels of E. coli in beach water can be caused by fecal contamination from sources such as animal waste, agricultural or stormwater runoff, and sewage or septic system overflow. The exposure to E.coli can lead to severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Water conditions, weather, and potential pollutants will be monitored and documented by Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) since these factors can have a direct impact on water quality.
Pre-season beach assessments will be conducted by PHIs in mid-May, to identify any contamination sources(e.g., sewage, bird populations), record environmental factors (e.g., rainfall, temperature), and collect baseline water samples. These assessments help determine how these conditions may influence bacterial levels once the swimming season begins. Weekly beach water sampling will be conducted every Wednesday, and the results will be made available on the WECHU’s Beach Water Testing webpage and the Beach Hotline (ext. 1490) by Friday of the same week.
Predictive Modeling Program: The predictive modeling program that forecasts daily E.coli levels at public beaches, will begin concurrently with the weekly beach monitoring program. This initiative will be carried out in collaboration with local municipalities to enhance public health protection and support timely decision‑making regarding beach water quality.
As part of the program, municipal staff from participating beaches will obtain turbidity and water temperature measurements and submit them through an online survey to the WECHU. The data will be entered into the predictive model, which will generate a predictive risk level low, moderate, or high. The WECHU will be providing turbidity monitors and thermometers as well as training to collect the data to participating municipalities at the start of the season. All seven local beaches have agreed to participate in this year’s program.
The predictive results for participating beaches will be posted on the WECHU website and available on the Beach Hotline daily. Routine beach water sampling results will take precedence over predictive modeling results and will determine the beach warnings or closures. If bacterial count warrants closing the beach, predictive modeling results will be displayed as “Not Applicable” during the beach closure.
Mosquito Surveillance program: Mosquito Surveillance in WEC is conducted by deploying two trap types: black‑light CDC traps and BG‑Sentinel 2 (BGS‑2) traps. CDC light traps use light and dry ice to attract and capture mosquitoes for testing to determine the presence of West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEv) in the region. BGS-2 traps are species-specific and target invasive mosquito species (Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti). These traps use a scent lure and dry ice to attract daytime mosquitoes and are placed in high-traffic areas, including transport routes, industrial cargo zones, and selected commercial and residential properties. Captured mosquitoes are sent to an accredited laboratory for identification and testing for WNV, EEE, and Zika virus. To detect early signs of emerging viruses in local mosquito populations, the WECHU has expanded viral testing to include Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) this year. CHIKV infection can cause fever and severe joint pain (which can be persistent for months for some people). The CHIKV is not native to Canada, however due to global travel the WECHU is taking a proactive approach to ensure the region is prepared for emerging mosquito‑borne diseases.
The trap deployment will start on May 19, 2026, and will run until mid-October. Once a week, 40 mosquito traps (25 CDC light traps and 15 BGS 2 traps) will be set up across WEC. The weekly mosquito surveillance data will be made available on the WECHU's Mosquito Surveillance Dashboard.
Active Tick Surveillance: Active surveillance is used to assess the local distribution and incidence of black-legged ticks in WEC. These ticks are responsible for the transmission of Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis and Powassan virus. Active tick surveillance involves the dragging of a white cloth through grassy areas whereby ticks attach themselves to the fabric and can be easily spotted and identified. Any black-legged ticks identified are sent to an accredited laboratory for testing of tick-borne diseases.
In 2026, tick dragging will be conducted in May and September at Devonwood Conservation Area, Rowsom’s Tilbury West Conservation Area, Rotary Club of Harrow Community Entrance (Chrysler Greenway, Harrow) and Malden Park & Woodland Trails. These locations have been selected based on the 2025 data of human cases of Lyme disease where the tick may have acquired. In addition, these locations support tick habitats and are frequented by the public.
The WECHU’s annual Fight the Bite! campaign will be promoted during summer months to provide priority populations with messaging on the prevention of mosquito breeding sites, proper tick removal, signs and symptoms of various vector-borne diseases, and tips for personal protection.