Snug Cove Beach has become the second island beach closed to swimming in a week due to high E. coli levels.
Sandy Beach swimming was closed off June 23, with Snug Cove Beach following on June 30. Signs are up at both beaches warning visitors of the water contamination.
Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) carries out weekly testing at area beaches to measure water safety. If average E. coli levels over a five-week period exceed the acceptable limit of 200 E. coli/100 mL limit, swimming is closed.
Sandy Beach recorded 426 E. coli/100 mL, while Snug Cove hit 334 E. coli/100 mL. Swimming won't resume at either beach until they bring their E. coli numbers down.
The other four Bowen beaches monitored by VCH - Pebbly Beach, Mothers Beach, Bowen Bay, and Tunstall Bay - all tested safe and are open for swimming.
VCH advises that ingesting E. coli can cause "gastrointestinal illnesses and skin/eye infections."
