Red flag flying at an east end Ottawa beach for a 7th straight day

A 'no swimming advisory' sign is posted at an Ottawa beach.

The red flag is flying at the Petrie Island East Bay beach for a seventh consecutive day, as the beach remains closed due to high levels of E.coli bacteria.

Ottawa Public Health issued a no-swimming advisory for the beach in Ottawa's east end on Thursday as the E.coli levels were 265.

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Swimming is recommended at the Petrie River Beach, Britannia Beach and Mooney's Bay beach.

Data available on the Ottawa Public Health website shows no-swimming advisories have been issued frequently at Ottawa's beaches since record rain last Friday. Ottawa received 45.5 mm of rain on Aug. 9, while some areas saw more than 70 mm of rain.

In the past week, seven no-swimming advisories have been issued for Petrie River East Bay Beach, while five no-swimming advisories have been issued for Mooney's Bay and Petrie River beaches.

Statistics show no-swimming advisories have been issued for 40 per cent of the swimming days at Petrie Island East Bay beach this summer. Swimmers have been told not to swim due to high levels of E.coli on 25 of the 62 beach days this summer.

Beach Water Quality Results

Placeholder: Beach Water Quality Results id: 7.770996

No swimming advisories have been issued 18 times at both Mooney's Bay and Petrie River beaches, and 13 times at Britannia Beach.

Ottawa Public Health issues swim advisories based on water sample results from the previous day. The health unit will issue a no-swimming advisory if water samples are greater than 200 E.coli per 100 ml of water.

Ottawa Public Health collects water samples daily from Ottawa beaches between June 15 and Aug. 25.

Here's a look at the number of no-swimming advisories issued in Ottawa over the past four summers.

2024

• Petrie River: 18 days
• Petrie East Bay: 25 days
• Mooney's Bay Beach – 18 days
• Britannia Beach – 13 days

2023

1. Petrie River – 21 days
2. Petrie East Bay – 21 days
3. Mooney's Bay – 24 days
4. Britannia Beach – 13 days

2022

• Petrie River – 6 days
• Petrie East Bay – 17 days
• Mooney's Bay – 5 days
• Britannia Beach – 11 days

2021

• Petrie River - 5
• Petrie East Bay – 30
• Mooney's Bay - 7
• Britannia Beach - 5