Water quality at recreational beaches throughout the Metro Vancouver region is generally very good. However, there is always some level of risk when swimming in natural bodies of water.
E.coli testing at recreational beaches
Metro Vancouver tests for E.coli levels at local beaches from May to September (at least once a week). Water samples are analyzed at Metro Vancouver’s Quality Control Laboratory and results are sent to local health authorities and beach operators.
E.coli bacteria is an indicator of fecal contamination. Testing for E.coli is used to determine whether water is safe for swimming and other recreational activities. Common sources of fecal contamination in recreational waters include:
- Feces from humans, pets, and birds
- Agricultural and stormwater runoff
- Sewer overflows
- Malfunctions in wastewater collection or treatment systems
- Improperly maintained septic tanks
- Release of raw sewage from boats
When E.coli test results do not meet applicable guidelines for recreational water use, Metro Vancouver follows up (as needed) to confirm that regional and municipal wastewater infrastructure is operating properly. In some cases, Metro Vancouver will collect additional water samples.
Determining if it's safe to swim
Metro Vancouver provides test results for recreational water to regional health authorities and municipalities. Based on this information and Health Canada guidelines, health authorities recommend whether beaches should have notices posted to inform swimmers of a possible risk.
To find out if there is a swimming advisory at a particular beach or swimming area, check out:
Beaches and recreational water quality map
Use the map to see recent and historic E.coli test results for 41 beach locations (114 sampling sites) around the region.
For each testing location, the map shows:
- E.coli levels – measured in MPN/100 mL, which is the amount of E.coli organisms found in a 100 mL water sample. E.coli results are reported as a 30-day geometric mean, which is a type of average E.coli count over a 30-day period.
- Historic data going back to 2014
Click on the name of the beach at the side of the map to see results for that location.