Beach advisory lifted at common Victoria swimming spot after sewage spill

Beach advisory lifted at common Victoria swimming spot after sewage spill

Published 4:53 pm Saturday, July 11, 2026

The swimming advisory for Vic West’s Banfield Park dock has been lifted.

Island Health positioned the favored swimming space below a seaside advisory Thursday (July 9) on account of sewage discharge.

“While public beaches are not technically closed to public access, it is highly recommended to not enter the water while an advisory is in place,” Island Health mentioned on its web site Thursday.

The advisory was lifted Friday afternoon (July 10).

The sewage spill got here from a personal storm drain at Gorge Road Health Centre, north of the Banfield dock, mentioned a City of Victoria spokesperson.

Banfield Park was positioned below an identical advisory due to sewage discharge in July final 12 months.

Beach advisories are advisable by Island Health when there is a sign of elevated bacterial ranges within the water or different potential contaminants that improve the danger of sickness to the general public.

Island Health works with native governments and companies to make sure warning indicators are posted to advise the general public when the water could also be unsafe.

Environmental well being officers use a risk-assessment device that takes under consideration previous pattern outcomes, doable sources of contamination, and the way the seaside is used to determine how usually every seaside needs to be sampled. Based on their evaluation, sampling often occurs weekly at high-risk seashores, each two weeks at moderate-risk seashores and month-to-month at low-risk seashores.

Beach water is examined at common swimming spots throughout Vancouver Island from mid-May to September.

Other advisories stay in place at Thetis Lake Beach, Gonzales Bay Beach, Esquimalt Gorge Park Kinsmen Beach, Glen Lake South, Beaver Lake and Ross Bay Beach.

For updates go to: inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/island-health/beach-advisory.

READ MORE: Sewage leak fails to keep swimmers out of Victoria’s Gorge Waterway.