Swimmers beware, more warnings for West Belle River beach than others

In the past three years, there has been only one week where beaches in Windsor-Essex county were all open without warnings or closures.

About 60 per cent of the summer in the past three years, West Belle River beach had a warning for swimmers by the Windsor Essex County Health Unit. The beach was closed for three weeks during the same time period.

"In the beginning of this season, I got an eye infection," said Marek Musielski. "That's why I avoid this water."

It was the second time he got an eye infection from swimming in the water. He thinks it may also be due to his advanced age. Musielski also enjoys kayaking, but will often travel almost an hour to Mitchell's Bay to paddle in cleaner water.

"Swimming is a problem in August when the algae comes and after rain," Musielski said.

Leaky septic systems

There's been a lot of discussion about animal dropping and fertilizer going into the water causing high bacteria counts, but Tim Byrne, director of watershed management services with the Essex Region Conservation Authority, said there's another factor.

"There's many contributing factors but the thing that a lot of people don't simply want to talk about is the rate of failing septic systems throughout our region," he said. "The failure rate throughout the region is as high as 75 per cent. "

Looking at the development of the town, Bryne said you can see large homes on small lots and said no one should be shocked if they take a look at the proprieties, but many private homeowners may be.

"Many of them actually don't realize their systems are actively failing and those systems are leaching off those properties," he said.

Septic systems are used 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Regardless of rainfall, it can be a contributing factor if it's failing.

"Houses are nothing but a water factory,' Byrne said. "All it does is use and consume a lot water and then dispose of a lot of water. Water that leaves the house, generally is not the purest in the world, especially in a rural environment."

There are ways to see if septic systems are leaking. Byrne said the dye test or smoke test can show leaks, but owners can also go to a nearby ditch and check for tiles with brackish looking water that smell.

Often people point to agriculture as a big source for bacteria in the water, but he said it's not as much of a factor as it's being made to be.

"Anyone who is pointing the finger at cash crop farming operations don't fully understand what's involved at this point and time in that enterprise," Byrne said.

The price for fertilizer​ is high and the distribution is computerized, so much so that the commodity is controlled significantly.

There are many issues causing algae blooms, E. coli and other issues in the lake water. From agricultural to industrial to residential to just label one thing as the culprit would be incorrect, because it's systemic within modern society.

Beach warnings and closures

During warnings, the health unit advises people "not to swim, but if you swim it's at your own risk. [We ask you to not swim] to prevent problems like rashes, ear infection, eye infection, diarrhea and vomiting in case you swallow the water," said Mohamed Bangura, Public Health Inspector.

E. coli counts between 200 and 999 will result in a beach warning.

"We put out a warning sign that means the public health department has already taken their due diligence warning the public that this water is not safe for swimmers to swim in," Bangura said.

At 1,000, the beach is closed. Bangura said public health inspectors will sample again to see if the results show a decrease in E. coli and will change it to a warning if they do. But they do not test water quality of the other beaches that may be near to that beach.

"The contamination from this beach going to contaminate the other beach is virtually impossible," said Bangura.

The health unit checks the water quality for 13 to 14 weeks every year. Public health inspectors take five samples at predetermined distances at each of the nine beaches in the area. They take the total number, divided by five and take the average

Per the health unit data from this year, one quarter of summer beaches were not suitable for swimming.

"It is very, very important for the public to adhere to the signs that the public health unit posts," he said.

There may be a reason why the beach does see higher counts of E. coli than other beaches — it's shallow water.

Jetty Project

The Town of Lakeshore installed a jetty at a cost of $1.45 million to put more distance between boaters and swimmers. It is doing an environmental assessment on the project to see if this helps with water quality.

"Initial the first year, we found that we had less instances of warnings or closures," said Nelson Cavacas, the director of engineering and infrastructure services with the town.

The west jetty project, provides a longer separation between the beach and the lake. It may have contributed to some of the results, said Cavacas.

Health unit numbers show there was one more warning this year. During seven out of 14 weeks, West Belle River beach had a warning. In 2017, there were six warnings out of 13 weeks. The beach was closed once each year.

"We will be monitoring for the next couple of years just to compare to past years results just to see if it continues or whether lake levels or anything else that might have maybe affected the water," said Cavacas.

The town is monitoring the water through the Windsor Essex County Health Unit's data. He said the water quality is generally considered normal at this point and that some years there may have been more concern because closures were prominent.

Sticking to the sand

People who go to beach have been able to use the jetty, which is a long walkway with benches for people to sit on and look out onto the lake. Some just sit, while others take their chances in the water.

"I don't think there's anything bad about going into it," said Aryanna Pierson.

She and some friends were walking her dog, Tyson, along the waterfront, when he decided he wanted to get in the water and took her along for a quick dip.

"Either way, he's kind of dragged me in and I didn't really have a fear about it," she said.

When Pierson gets home, she will make sure to shower, but said her friends often come out and hang out at the beach and in the water.

"We don't have any worries."