Gull Lake swimmers warned of bacteria alert

GRAVENHURST — One of the hottest summers in years has been devastating for swimmers and bathers at the Gull Lake Rotary Park beach.

Just weeks after opening following a beach debris scare, it is under another swim alert.

This time, the culprit is a seemingly annual occurrence of bacteria.

Based on beach water samples collected by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit on Monday July 16, they recommended that Gull Lake Park Beach be posted with swim advisory signs.

The geometric mean of samples collected from the beach was 532 E. coli per 100 mL, which exceeds the Provincial standard of 200 E. coli per 100ml.

During a swimming advisory, the beach is posted with warning signs indicating the most recent water samples and bacteria rate is “elevated.”

These rates may increase the risk of developing minor skin, eye, ear, nose or throat infections or stomach illness.

They warn users that “if you choose to swim during an advisory, avoid dunking your head or swallowing the water,” says a release from the town Tuesday afternoon.

The town will continue to communicate with the public as new updates become available.