Durham Region to Publish Weekly Public Beach Water Test Results Online Starting 2025
The Durham Region Health Department announced that beginning with the 2025 beach monitoring season, test results for all inspected public beaches will be available online through the Health Department’s disclosure portal, Check&Go! Durham.
Residents in Durham Region will be able to view weekly inspection results for local beaches in real time throughout the summer. According to the Health Department, reminders to check these results will also be posted on its social media accounts every Friday.
According to the Health Department, bacteriological water tests are conducted each summer to determine if beaches are safe for swimming. The Health Department stated that water samples are sent to the Public Health Ontario Laboratory in Peterborough for analysis. Beaches are posted as unsafe for swimming when, according to the Health Department, E. coli counts exceed the provincial standard of 200 E. coli per 100 millilitres of water.
The Health Department also reminds residents not to swim in beach water for at least 48 hours after heavy rainfall, as bacteria levels may increase due to runoff.