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Not Safe to Swim at Pittock

Oxford County health officials are letting the public know it is not safe to swim at Pittock Park right now.

WOODSTOCK - Oxford County health officials are letting the public know it is not safe to swim at Pittock Park right now.

An updated reservoir water quality update has Pittock listed as Red after the water tested positive for high levels of E-coli bacteria. Manager of Health Protection with Oxford County Public Health Peter Haywood tells Heart FM about some of the dangers swimming in water with high levels of bacteria.

"So swimming or playing in unsafe water may result in illness, such as sore throats or diarrhoea, and sometimes may result in more serious illness, particularly for those with weaker immune systems and thereby have a greater risk of getting sick."

Health Officials update the reservoir water quality page on their web site every week and all of the other beaches in Oxford have a green level which means they are safe to swim at. Haywood notes the pollution in beach water is often much higher after rain storms for a variety of reasons.

The elevated presence of E. coli bacteria in water is an indicator of fecal contamination from either animals or people or both. Public health staff collects samples from local recreational waters for testing every week from mid-May to Labour Day. Beach water quality results are available at oxfordcounty.ca. If you have health questions or concerns about water-related illness, please ask your doctor or call Oxford County Public Health at 519-539-9800 or 1-800-755-0394.

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