Point Clark Beach now deemed safe for bathing

By Darrell Ziegler

On Aug 2, the Grey Bruce Health Unit announced that beach water sampling at the Point Clark Beach in Huron-Kinloss showed two consecutive sets of samples within Municipality of Health and Long-Term Care standards for acceptable bacterial levels. Based on the sampling results, the Beach is now deemed safe for bathing.

On Monday, June 26, the Grey Bruce Health Unit said that samples taken at the Point Clark Beach showed elevated bacteria levels, resulting in the beach being posted unsafe for swimming.

Mayor Mitch Twolan said recently that the health unit has decided to take its samples slightly north of the present sample site. Up to now, samples have been taken close the harbour.

He says he spoke with Lou D’Alessandro, health protection manager for the health unit on July 12.

D’Alessandro said the site itself may have caused some of the high bacteria counts as water in that area does not move the same way it does in other areas of the beach.

In an earlier interview, D’Alessandro could not specifically say what the E .coli counts were, but did say, “I can tell you that although the results exceeded Ontario’s standards, they fell within Canadian guidelines.”

In Ontario, the maximum E .coli count can be no greater than 100 colony forming units (cfu) per 100 ml. If two consecutive tests read over 100 cfu per 100 ml, the beach is posted as unsafe for bathing. Before the beach is considered safe, two consecutive tests must show readings under 100 cfu per 100 ml.

Canadian guidelines allow for 200 cfu per 100 ml.

Matt Pearson, senior planner for the consulting firm BM Ross and Associates says that it’s important for residents to know that although test results reading higher than Ontario’s guidelines are not a good thing, “we do see ups and downs.”

“Ontario has some of the most stringent testing standards in the world. In other countries, the recommended safe level for E. coli is anywhere from 300 to 500 cfu per 100 ml.”

He says that E.coli is killed by sunlight after a couple of days in the lake, however it can stay alive when mixed in with sand, stones and algae, because of the lack of direct sunlight on it.

When storms or high winds occur causing heavy wave action, it stirs up the bottom and the shoreline E-coli levels tend to rise.

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