When you are heading to the beach this summer, thoughts are mostly on the fun and the memories, but the provincial government suggests you may also want to check out the Healthy Beaches online interactive map.
The Healthy Beaches program monitors and reports on water quality at select beaches across the province.
Saskatchewan’s Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Julie Kryzanowski, says the beaches chosen for testing depends on a number of factors including any previous water quality issues, any concerns about chemical or waste discharge from stormwater outflow and agricultural runoffs.
there are two main things they are testing for.
One is E. coli, because there are a few strains that can cause illness.
The other is toxins, particularly a toxin from blue-green algae, which Kryzanowski says is a risk to the health of people and animals, because if ingested, it can cause serious liver damage.
Anyone heading to the beach is encouraged to check the interactive online map ahead of time on the Healthy Beaches Program website.
The link can be accessed here.