Swimming Advisory Issued for Indian Beach, Cape Breton

Users of Indian Beach, North Sydney, should refrain from swimming at the beach until further notice.

Routine weekly testing at the site by the Department of Environment and Labour shows high levels of fecal streptococcus, an organism that often indicates the presence of disease-causing organisms.

Dr. Ann Roberts, medical officer of health, advises that swimming in the affected water may result in eye, ear, nose, throat, or skin infection until the bacteria levels return to normal.

Levels of micro-organisms at swimming sites can fluctuate for a variety of reasons, including rainfall, water temperature, wind direction, or the presence of pet droppings.

"Swimming water quality is monitored weekly during the supervised swimming season, said Mark Farrell, district manager of environmental monitoring and compliance for the Sydney region, Department of Environment and Labour. "It is not unusual that a beach be closed temporarily during the hottest summer months."

Water quality at the beach will be tested several times throughout the next week.