The Rural Voice, 1993-07, Page 48Water Matters
Our beaches — why they close
Summer is here again and the
masses are travelling to their
favourite summer getaway
destinations. Many centre their
activities on lakes and rivers. Not
only do these arcas provide beautiful
scenery but also the opportunity for
leisure activities such as swimming
and water-skiing. It can be a little
frustrating and unnerving, however,
to find that your favourite beach has
been posted with warning signs that
the water may be unsafe for
swimming.
What has made the water unsafe?
Normally beaches are posted due
to high bacterial counts in the beach
water. The bacterial presence can
pose health risks to the user such as
the stomach flu and eye, ear and
throat infections. Less often, toxic
blue-green algae or murky water will
result in the postings. Generally, a
Medical Officer of Health determines
whether a beach site should be closed
and whcn it is safe to re -open.
Where do the bacteria and algae
come from?
The four major pollutants
affecting rural beaches and
watercourses are:
• inadequate septic systems
• untreated milkhouse washwater
• poor manure management
• livestock with access to water-
courses
Depending on the practices of
sewage treatment plants, occasional
by-passes could also close beaches.
All four of the major sources of
pollution contain bacteria, possible
viruses and parasites and nutrients
such as nitrogen and phosphorous.
These nutrients are also the main
factors which affect the growth of
algae.
What can you do to help?
• If you own a cottage, get involved
in a cottage association or rate -payers
groups.
• Check your septic system — does
it meet environmental standards?
• If you own a farm:
– keep livestock restricted from
watercourses such as creeks and
drains
– store or treat milkhouse washwater
and manure runoff
– keep vegetated buffer strips along
watercourses
– mix, store and utilize chemicals
away from wells and watercourses
– seal abandoned wells
• Plant trees
• Reduce, recycle and re -use
Keep in mind that your single
effort goes a long way to boost one of
Ontario's greatest resources — our
freshwater. For further information
on this topic or possible grants
involving projects to improve water
quality contact your local
Conservation Authority.0
This is another in a series of articles
by Janette Smiderle of the Saugeen
Valley Conservation Authority,
highlighting information on water
quality in the rural environment.
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