Island Health has issued beach advisories after recent water testing at Willows Beach and Cadboro Bay
A 100 ml water sample from Willows Beach, at the foot of Estevan Avenue from Tuesday recorded an enterococci bacteria count of 125.
Another sample taken on the same day on the east side of Gyro Park beach recorded an entrococci bacterial count of 459.
Island Health recommends beach advisories when enterococci levels exceed 70 per 100 ml.
Oak Bay said that signs have been posted to Willows Beach to notify visitors.
On Aug. 14, a sample at Willows Beach found an elevated enterococci bacteria count of 4,400 per 100 ml — the highest level recorded at the beach since the Capital Regional District and Island Health began testing for it in 2014.
Water testing has also found “unsatisfactory bacteriological water results” at Bazan Bay Beach and Mount Douglas Park Beach, which both had water sample bacteria counts over 70 in recent weeks, according to the Island Health website.
