Harrison Hot Springs officials have officially closed the Harrison Lake Lagoon and beach until further notice due to "an emergency event impacting the health and safety of beach users."
"Water does not meet Fraser Health standards for swimming or wading," reads a public notice from the village. "The Lagoon and beach areas are closed until further notice."
A water sample report from Fraser Health dated June 13 indicates extremely high levels of E.Coli bacteria in the Harrison Lake Lagoon, by far the highest levels of concentration in the Fraser Health region. The second-worst sample that day came from White Pine Beach at Port Moody with 315 bacteria per 100 mL.
According to Fraser Health standards, there are two benchmarks for safe swimming when it comes to E. Coli bacteria 鈥� a geometric mean of less than 200 E. Coli bacteria per 100 millilitres or equal to or less than 235 bacteria per 100 mL in a single sample. While the geometric mean for Harrison Lake lagoon falls well within the 200 bacteria limit at 95, the single sample from Harrison's lagoon taken on June 13 indicates 14,500 bacteria per 100 mL 鈥� nearly 62 times higher than the upper safety limits.
Harrison Lake was sampled at Rendall Park and west of the lagoon, and both samples came back at acceptable bacteria levels.
Resampling is in progress as of Monday (June 16). This is standard procedure when a sample returns with 235 bacteria per 100 millilitres. Fraser Health retrieves local water samples once a week during the spring and summer months.
Harrison Lake Lagoon typically has higher concentrations of E. Coli bacteria during the dry months and in the later summer; these high levels in June are historically unusual. The most common source of the bacteria comes from the feces from the Canada goose.
Fraser Health advises that those who swim in untreated recreational waters should avoid ingesting the water and that young, elderly or immunocompromised individuals may be at a greater risk of developing an infection.
Symptoms of an E. Coli infection include nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. If you experience these symptoms, please seek medical attention.
