RESULTS OF E. COLI SAMPLING IN TINY TOWNSHIP'S RECREATIONAL WATERS
- Summer 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006

NOTE: During the summer seasons of 2001-2006, water samples were taken in swimming waters along the 72 kilometres of shore and from streams entering the Bay in Tiny Township, by several different groups.

In 2001 the Simcoe County District Health Unit took samples at 10 parks and public access points (four more than their usual six); in 2002 they added two more parks; in 2003, they monitored 13 locations; and in 2004, 15 locations. In all three years, park staff took samples at the four beaches in Awenda Park and camp staff took samples at Camp Marygrove. In 2001, when a concerted effort was made to establish a base line statistics for all of Tiny's shoreline, volunteers sampled all the rest. Samples were taken on the morning after each summer weekend. In 2002, 2003 and 2004 a number of beach associations continued to take samples in their areas. The Health Unit, the Park and the Camp took all their samples from swimming water in the Bay. The volunteers took samples from swimming water and from streams. Until 2004, All swimming water samples were taken according to the Health Unit's protocol – from water at a depth of a metre to a metre and a half; that year, as noted in the 2004 results, Addison Beach and Lafontaine North took a number of samples from shallower water. The stream samples were taken as the Health Unit advised.

Analysis: Laboratories – the provincial laboratory in Orillia in the case of the Health Unit and Central Ontario Analytical laboratory in the case of the volunteers – analyzed each sample for the number of E. coli bacteria present per 100 ml of water. E. coli is used because it is a reliable indicator of recent fecal pollution by warm-blooded animals. Only a few of the many kinds of E. coli cause illness in humans, but their presence indicates the possible presence of other fecal pathogens. Swimming in water with unacceptable levels of E. coli increases the risk of infections of the ears, eyes, nose and throat, or of gastrointestinal or stomach illnesses if water is swallowed.

The Health Unit typically takes five samples at each beach (as do the Park and Camp) – spaced 50 to 100 feet apart. The "geometric mean"of the results from the samples taken at a particular beach is then calculated.

To find the geometric mean of n samples, you multiply them together and take the n'th root of the result. For example, with three samples of 2, 3 and 600, multiplying them together gives 3600. The third root of 3600, 15.33, is their geometric mean, because 15.33 x 15.33 x 15.33 gives 3600. (For comparison, the arithmetic mean is the result of adding the three numbers together and dividing by 3. In this case it would be 201.7.

The Health Unit uses a geometric mean because it reduces the biasing effect of occasional extreme readings in the results. When the geometric mean of the sampling results exceeds 100 E. coli bacteria per 100 ml of water, beach posting is considered. When it is warranted, the Health Unit gets in touch with the municipality and recommends the posting of signs warning bathers of the potential risk. The signs normally remain posted at the beach until sample testing shows the risk to bathers is once again within acceptable limits.

The volunteers took spaced individual samples, not with the intention of posting, but to get a sense of water quality along the shore.

The conditions under which the samples were taken are noted: recent rainfall, wind direction, brightness, bather density, waterfowl presence, the degree of wave action, water clarity, algae. All these factors are taken into consideration when the results are assessed.

Streams often have higher counts than Bay water.

Sources of E. coli? (bacteria present in the feces of warm-blooded animals)
-sewage from sewer overflows
-faulty septic systems
-agricultural runoff
-large populations of waterfowl
-dog dirt

Beach postings often occur after rainstorms. Rain washes fecal material from livestock, cats, dogs, birds and other wildlife into ditches and sewers and thence into rivers and lakes. Also, high winds and waves stir up sediments which may increase E. coli counts for a day or two.

How to Help?

-Pet owners should "stoop and scoop."

-Septic systems should be kept in good working order.

-In agricultural areas, livestock should be kept away from streams and provided with alternate water sources. This benefits herd health and the environment.

-Runoff from feedlots and manure piles must be properly contained.

For Allan Crowe's presentation on "E. coli & Tiny Township's Beaches:
Environment Canada's Studies 2005-2007" click HERE*.

For the 2006 Results, click HERE*.

For the report the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has put together concerning the results of its monitoring of public beaches in Tiny Township, 2003-2005, click HERE*.

For the Severn Sound Environmental Association's "Tiny Beaches Investigation 2005", click HERE*.

For the letter the Federation sent to Council concerning the volunteer water sampling program in 2005, click HERE*.

For the 2005 Results, click HERE*.

For the 2004 Results, click HERE*.

For the Federation's Oral Presentation to Council about Recreational Water Results 2001-2004, click HERE*.

For the 2003 Results, click HERE*.

For the 2002 Results click HERE*. For the deputation made by Judith Grant at the meeting of Council on Monday, September 30, 2002, click HERE.

For the 2001 Results, click HERE* and for the Full-Length Report on the 2001 Sampling program HERE*.