Beach water monitoring practices and challenges in Ontario Public Health units

Abstract

Public Health Units (PHUs) in Ontario regularly monitor public beaches for E. coli levels as an indicator of the risk of recreational water-induced illness. Provincial guidance for beach water monitoring allows local flexibility in the beach monitoring process. We conducted a survey of public health professionals responsible for beach water management in Ontario PHUs to determine how monitoring practices differ across jurisdictions. We obtained data from 22 of the 29 PHUs that conduct beach water monitoring. Six health units reported meeting guidelines (27%) and four reported meeting historical water quality (18%) were important factors in deciding sampling frequency. Major challenges and limitations in monitoring that arose from the lag time between sampling and obtaining results were reported by 12 (55%). Predictive modelling has been trialled eight times across the province with varied results. This study provides an overview on the current state and future avenues for beach water monitoring in Ontario.