Health Unit: ‘We’ve never closed the beaches’

It’s been a touch-and-go start to the beach season in the area but a senior public health inspector says all might not be lost when it comes to cooling off at your favourite swimming spot this summer.

Referring to six area spots where blue-green algae blooms have been spotted and confirmed, Brendan Hatton, an inspector for  the North Bay Parry Sound District Public Health Unit said, “The whole issue is we’ve never closed the beaches, we’ve issued an advisory on these.”

Asked if he would go to the beach in present conditions and allow family members to swim, he replied, “I would first observe whether there is a bloom present. I would advise my children not to accidentally drink the water. And, I would tell them to enjoy the recreation component of our beaches.”

These are the four areas in Lake Nipissing under a blue-green algae advisory:

And two others added last week:

“If there is an algae bloom present, we are asking people to use their own judgment,” said Hatton. “It is recommended not to swim with a bloom present.”

For more on how to spot a blue-green algae bloom and what precautions to take with the water, click here.

According to Hatton, there is a caveat in all this. “If there is no bloom present, individuals are asked to use their own discretion and go ahead and use the water for recreation…The risk, realistically for recreational water is [skin irritation]. There may be a greater risk to younger individuals should they accidentally consume the water,” which can cause nausea and vomiting.

Hatton agreed the onset of occurrences of blue-green algae is earlier this year than in the past. “Due to climate change and such, these algae blooms are going to be more and more prevalent,” said Hatton. Public education on these blooms has also led to heightened awareness and increased reports to health officials.