Island Health issues water warning for two Victoria beaches - Saanich News
Published 4:07 pm Wednesday, July 29, 2026By Victoria News staffVictorians hoping to cool off in the water at Gonzales Beach and Gyro Park are out of luck – for now. Island Health says unsatisfactory. . .
Published 4:07 pm Wednesday, July 29, 2026By Victoria News staffVictorians hoping to cool off in the water at Gonzales Beach and Gyro Park are out of luck – for now. Island Health says unsatisfactory bacteriological water results have made the beaches unsafe for swimming. “Beach advisories are recommended by Island Health where there is indication of elevated bacterial levels in the water or other potential contaminants that increases the risk of illness to the public,” the health authority said on its website. “While public beaches are not technically closed to public access, it is highly recommended to not enter the water while an advisory is in place. ”Advisories may be considered when a minimum of five water samples exceed 35 enterococci per 100 milliliters. The Gonzales Beach sample, taken July 21 from the bottom of Ross Street, showed 100 enterococci. The Gyro Park sample, also taken July 21, showed 100 enterococci as well. While the bacteria can be present in or on the body and usually not cause illness, occasionally enterococci can get into open wounds or skin ulcers and cause infection. Less often, it can cause more serious infections of the blood, urinary tract or other body tissues. These advisories went into place July 27, and Island Health works with local government and agencies to ensure a warning sign is posted to advise the public when the water may be unsafe. Environmental health officers use a risk-assessment tool, which takes into account how the beach is used, past sample results and possible sources of contamination, to decide how often each beach should be sampled. Based on their assessment, sampling usually happens weekly at high-risk beaches, every two weeks at moderate-risk beaches and monthly at low-risk beaches. Beach water is tested at popular swimming spots across Vancouver Island from mid-May to September.