Niagara Region ends seasonal testing at Fort Erie beaches

Niagara Region has ended its regular beach water testing program for the season, meaning there are no new test results for Fort Erie’s four monitored public beaches.

The region’s public health website currently lists Bay Beach, Bernard Avenue Beach, Crescent Beach and Waverly Beach as open for swimming, but also says the beaches have not been sampled.

Regular testing for E. coli is conducted between the Victoria Day and Labour Day weekends.

That means the current open listings are not based on a new round of September water testing.

The last results reported by Fort Erie Radio before the testing season ended showed Bay Beach and Waverly Beach posted unsafe for swimming.

Bay Beach failed testing based on a sample taken September 4, while Waverly Beach had remained unsafe since August 25.

Bernard Avenue Beach and Crescent Beach were listed as open at the time, based on results dated August 25.

Beach conditions can change quickly because of factors including heavy rainfall, wind, waves, swimmers, birds and cloudy water.

With routine testing finished for the season, swimmers will no longer have regularly updated E. coli results to rely on until the program resumes next year.

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