The water at Vancouver’s Kitsilano Beach has once again been deemed unfit for swimming.
Gerry Kahrmann / PNG
The Vancouver Park Board announced Saturday that Kits Beach has been temporarily closed after Vancouver Coastal Health tested high E. coli levels in the water.Health Canada’s guidelines say that E. coli levels in swimming areas should not exceed a geometric mean of 200 E. coli bacteria per 100 millilitres of water.On Saturday, Kits Beach recorded a whopping 1515 per 100 millilitres. Signage has been placed in the area warning swimmers to stay away, and the Park Board has asked residents to take the warning seriously.E.coli can come from many sources, including agricultural run-off, animal waste washing into the water, and pleasure boats discharging their sewage directly into the ocean. E. coli infection can cause gastrointestinal illness, including stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.All other Vancouver beaches remain open to swimmers.