Regular water quality testing is now underway at public beaches across Peterborough County, the City of Peterborough, and in Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations.
Peterborough Public Health resumed its annual surveillance program on Monday, ensuring that local beaches are safe for swimming through routine testing for E. coli bacteria and monitoring for harmful algae. The program runs through the end of August.
Beavermead Park in Peterborough will be tested daily from Monday to Friday. Most other public beaches in the region are tested weekly, including popular spots like Ennismore Waterfront Park, Lakefield Park, and Squirrel Creek Conservation Area.
A few more remote beaches, including Chandos Beach, Quarry Bay, and Belmont Lake, are tested monthly.
Rogers Cove, formerly monitored, is no longer an active beach and will not be tested in 2025.
Peterborough Public Health cautions that beach conditions can change quickly between tests due to factors like rainfall, high winds, large numbers of swimmers or waterfowl, and the presence of harmful algae. If E. coli levels exceed provincial safety standards, beaches will be posted as unsafe for swimming.
Residents can check the current status of any public beach by visiting peterboroughpublichealth.ca/beach-testing-results or calling 705-743-1000 ext. 232.
Health officials also encourage beachgoers to help protect water quality by avoiding feeding waterfowl, properly disposing of garbage, cleaning up after pets, and ensuring children wear clean swim diapers.
(Written by: Scott Arnold)
