Rainbow Haven Beach and Lawrencetown Beach in Halifax have been reopened for swimming following a temporary closure due to elevated bacteria levels. Water quality advisories issued on Friday warned against swimming at these locations to prevent potential health risks. Tests conducted showed that the bacteria levels exceeded the safety threshold set by the Department of Environment and Climate Change.
Paul D’Eon, the director of the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service, mentioned that the beaches were sampled early Friday morning, revealing heightened levels of enterococci, a bacteria commonly found in saltwater and comparable to E. coli in freshwater sources. Subsequent lab results on Monday confirmed that the water quality had returned to acceptable levels for swimming, as reported by Nova Scotia Parks.
The beaches are now deemed safe for recreational activities, providing relief to residents and visitors.