UPDATE July 21 – The swim advisory for Port Sydney Beach has been lifted. Swimming lessons will resume on Monday, July 24.
The Town of Huntsville has been notified by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit that an advisory has been issued for Port Sydney Beach.
An advisory is a warning to swimmers but it is not a beach closure. During an advisory, a beach is posted with warning signs when the water contains levels of bacteria that indicate there may be an increased risk of developing minor skin, eye, ear, nose and throat infections and stomach disorders. If you choose to swim during an advisory it may be prudent to avoid ducking your head or swallowing the water.
Advisory signage is being posted at the beach and the Town of Huntsville swimming lessons programmed for Port Sydney beach have been moved to the Centennial Pool until the advisory is lifted. For more information regarding swimming lesson relocation, please contact Morven Barnes at 705-789-6421 Ext. 3023 or [email protected].
The Town of Huntsville will notify residents when the advisory is lifted.
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Edward, you’ll find some of your questions answered here: https://doppleronline.ca/huntsville/mean-swim-advisory-issued-health-unit/
Hi Edward,
We are working on getting more information, but I can tell you that the health unit appears to only sample water at two locations in the Huntsville area: the beach in Port Sydney and Hutcheson Beach. Stay tuned.
Can the officials tell us more -what’s the source; human pollution? organic decomposition? Is this unusual? What are the numbers? Is the creek flowing in just to the northwest of the beach also contaminated? Is the entire lake contaminated? What about the area below the dam where people also swim?Are we at Port Sydney alone, or are other beaches in Muskoka contaminated as well?