Early summer rains and hot weather caused the city to post unsafe-for-swimming signs on municipal beaches more often this year.

Lakeside, Municipal and Jones beaches were not safe for swimmers more often than they were last year because the weather was heaven for bacteria.

“Early in the season, we had a lot of rain and warm weather, and that makes it easier for bacteria to grow,” said Mark Green, City of St. Catharines environmental manager. “But at the same time, the water quality at most of the beaches is good most of the time.”

In 2009, unsafe-for-swimming signs were posted at Lakeside Beach 21% of the time, at Municipal Beach 49% and at Jones Beach 69%.

This year, those figures all jumped to 31%, 53% and 92% respectively.

Green said the 92% figure for Jones, usually the most problematic beach, is a result of the weather, stagnant water and its proximity to the Port Weller drydocks.

“The other beaches tend to do better than Jones,” he said.

The city tests the waters off of its beaches every day to determine if it’s safe for swimming.

“That way, we have the best information,” Green said.

Although the number of times the water was unsafe was up, Green said generally the water is good. It’s only when storms hit that bacteria levels spike.

The best year for swimming off of St. Catharines beaches was the dry summer of 2007. Lakeside Beach was safe more than 90% of the time, and Municipal Beach 60%.

via Early rains hampered summer beach swimming – St. Catharines Standard – Ontario, CA.