The Aporia
Torstar Open Data Team. (2026, September 6). Stay out of the water at 10 Niagara public beaches. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/beach-water-quality/stay-out-of-the-water-at-10-niagara-public-beaches/article_0fe32df9-97ae-5b4a-a883-7496318e1ba4.html
Torstar Open Data Team. “Stay out of the water at 10 Niagara public beaches.” Toronto Star, 6 Sept. 2026, https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/beach-water-quality/stay-out-of-the-water-at-10-niagara-public-beaches/article_0fe32df9-97ae-5b4a-a883-7496318e1ba4.html.
Torstar Open Data Team. “Stay out of the water at 10 Niagara public beaches.” Toronto Star, September 6, 2026. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/beach-water-quality/stay-out-of-the-water-at-10-niagara-public-beaches/article_0fe32df9-97ae-5b4a-a883-7496318e1ba4.html.
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As of September 6 at 8 a.m., the water at 10 public beaches in Niagara is not safe for swimming according to the Niagara Region Public Health. The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care guidelines state that water is considered unsafe if one sample contains 400 or more E. coli bacteria per 100 milliliters, or the average of five samples is 200 or more. The affected beaches include Crystal, Waverly, Nelles, Centennial Park, Nickel, Elco, Sherkston Quarry, Long, Reebs Bay, and Lake Erie. It's recommended to stay out of the water due to the presence of E. coli, which can cause serious illness including stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. In addition, when high levels of E. coli are detected, it's more likely that other harmful organisms are present as well.