The water advisory for Willows Beach has been lifted.
The District of Oak Bay said in a statement the advisory that had been in place for a week at the south end of Willows because of high bacteria levels has been rescinded and the signage warning swimmers is being removed.
The waters off Willows will continue to be monitored on routine testing schedules by Island Health.
The timing is good: The Environment Canada forecast for Saturday and Sunday is calling for clear sunny skies with highs of 26 and 27 C, respectively.
Water samples from Willows Beach were tested and reviewed this week by Island Health environmental health officers to determine if elevated levels of the fecal bacterium called enterococcus are still present.
Enterococci bacteria are present in the intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals, including humans, and indicate the presence of other bacteria that make people sick, Island Health said last week. Elevated bacteria levels in the water increase the risk of illness to the public.
Testing of the Aug. 14 sample found an elevated enterococci bacteria count of 4,400 per 100 ml — the highest level recorded at Willows Beach since the Capital Regional District and Island Health began testing for it in 2014. The previous high was in June 2016 with 180 enterococci detected in a sample.
Island Health recommends beach advisories when enterococci levels exceed 70 per 100 ml.
