Sheila Bautz
Special to the Herald
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health is reporting recreational lake water testing results to the public throughout the summer months. The reports will be ongoing and stem from regular tests performed on the natural bodies of water at select provincial beach destinations. Christopher Lake, Candle Lake and Emma Lake are on the schedule for lake water sampling. The reports will appear on the Healthy Beaches Public Map.
Large bodies of water, such as lakes, are untreated and are a risk for environmental factors and pollutants that can affect the health of lake enthusiasts, such as the risk of E. coli. Collecting the samples of lake water at popular beaches assists with determining the type of water quality a lake is experiencing. The lake samples and reports assist members of the public and Saskatchewan residents with making educated choices about their summer vacation destinations, health and safety.
“The Healthy Beaches program is essential to public health,” said Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer. “This will help people make decisions about their in-water activities when visiting provincial lakes.”
The Saskatchewan government’s Public Health Inspectors are responsible for responding to any water quality issue at the provincial beaches. This includes testing for elevated bacteria levels of E. coli and a toxic blue-green algae called microcystin. The water testing aims to assess and ensure that any risks they may pose to public health are promptly addressed.
The Healthy Beaches program provides accurate water test results and information regarding a lake’s water quality. To ensure lake water is tested properly, there are specific guidelines for lake water testing that were developed by Teresa Brooks, the Senior Evaluator at Health Canada.
“The guidelines provide information to help determine how to manage recreational waters. There is flexibility in how they can be used since every recreational water area is different and so the best approach can vary between different sites,” Brooks explained.
Some of the guidelines developed include checking for fecal indicators. Fecal indicators are a group of germs that contaminate lake water. The germs can become dangerous to human health. E. coli or enterococci are commonly tested for. The infection caused by E. coli includes watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and pain, fatigue and a low fever. There are also different types of E. coli.
“Each beach should have a water management plan to determine where the contamination could be coming from, what types of contaminants may be present, and when there could be a concern – after a heavy rainfall for example,” stated Brooks.
People get E. coli when they either drink contaminated water or get it in their mouth. Natural water sources, such as lakes, rivers and streams, can be contaminated by animal and people feces. An E. coli infection is contagious and can be spread to other people through changing a child’s diaper, touching objects, surfaces and food by an infected person who does not wash their hands after going to the bathroom.
Certain individuals are at a heightened risk for E. coli infections. Newborn babies and young children are particularly at risk. The elderly who are over 65 years old are also more prone to contracting the infection. Individuals with weakened immune systems, such people with cancer or who must take immunosuppressive medications are susceptible to the infection. Diabetics and individuals with ulcerative colitis are also more prone to contract the E. coli.
Depending on the type of E. coli infection, some are normally not treated, but instead, monitored by healthcare professionals. The infection can remain in the body anywhere from two days to two weeks. One of the main risks involved is dehydration. A majority of infected people require supportive care with fluids, nutrition and monitoring. A healthcare provider may recommend hospitalization and isolation to prevent the infection from spreading to others.
The type of E. coli infection determines whether or not antibiotics or antidiarrheal medications can be taken to assist with eliminating the infection. It depends on the specific type of E. coli that is in the body. Saskatchewan health care providers will test a stool sample to evaluate and determine the type of E. coli causing the infection.
“Some of the risks when swimming in natural waters like lakes or rivers are linked to pathogens that cause gastrointestinal illness, and eye, ear and skin infections,” explained Brooks who developed the lake, river and stream testing.
There are also two types of recreational water activities that impact the type of water risk alert, if any, for beachgoers and water enthusiasts. They are known as primary and secondary contact activities. Each has a different degree of risk for potentially contracting a health issue while in lake water.
Primary water activities pose a potentially greater risk to beachgoers and water enthusiasts due to the risk of swallowing water during the activity. Such activities include submerging a person’s entire body under water while wading, swimming, windsurfing and with waterskiing.
Secondary water activities are a lower risk to beach goers. These activities include boating, canoeing and fishing.
By checking Saskatchewan’s Healthy Beaches Public Map for information and up-dates on the lake water quality, visitors are better able to make informed decisions about their choice in a vacation spot. This provides a layer of protection for beachgoers and lake enthusiasts for a safe and enjoyable experience at Saskatchewan beaches.
“Saskatchewan beaches are an important part of summer recreation for residents,” said Jeremy Cockrill, the Saskatchewan Minister of Health. “The Healthy Beaches program provides valuable safety information, and we encourage residents and visitors to check the status of the beach they are visiting before they head out.”
The Healthy Beaches Public Map website also issues advisory warnings if the water fails to meet the required public safety standards and quality. The goal of the website is to assist Saskatchewan residents and international visitors with making informed decisions about their summer plans for a relaxing and fun vacation.
The public is also encouraged to report any concerns or occurrences to the local Public Health Inspection office. In Prince Albert, the phone number is 306-765-6600. There are also notifications that are posted at beach sites in the evenings and weekends. This occurs in the event a beach requires immediate closure due to water assessment results that are not yet available on the Healthy Beaches Public Map.
