'Unsettling trend:' Bird poop is dirtying the water at Ottawa beaches
There’s a foul new factor contributing to no-swim advisories at Ottawa beaches this summer.
You could call it a fowl fouling.
Ottawa Public Health measures the water quality at the city’s five supervised beaches every day during the summer. But lately, as the public health unit advised in its usual cheeky way on Twitter, officials have noticed what they’re calling an “unsettling trend.”
“Birds (i.e. animals with wings that can sometimes fly) are leaving poop at our beaches. The poop, being rather unclean, affects the water quality,” the health united tweeter Friday morning. “This, in turn, is contributing to ‘no swimming’ advisories. Which certainly isn't fun for anyone.”
On Friday, no-swim advisories were in place for Westboro Beach and Petrie Island East Bay. The other three beaches—Britannia, Mooney’s Bay and Petrie Island River—had the all-clear.
At Petrie Island East Bay alone, no-swim advisories have been in effect for 10 of the last 14 days. The advisories are issued based on the levels of E.coli in the water.
Ottawa Public Health has two easy suggestions for keeping the water clear of bird feces.
First, they’re asking beachgoers to refrain from feeding the birds.
“This attracts them to the beach, where they will poop. A lot.”
Second, they’re asking people to take garbage with them when they leave.
“Often, after a busy day, the garbage bins are left overflowing. This attracts the birds to the beach.
“It's like Field of Dreams, but with poop. If you leave it, they will come...and they will poop.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.