Nova Scotia Recreational Water Sampling Program Why are beaches sampled? The primary goal of the Nova Scotia Recreational Water Sampling Program is to protect the health and safety of Nova Scotians and our visitors. The program began in 2009. What is the concern? The most common health risk is exposure to bacteria in recreational water that can cause illness and/or infection. We test the water at lifeguarded beaches during the swimming season to protect Nova Scotians and our visitors. How often do people become sick from recreational water? Health Canada estimates about 1% to 2% of people will get sick from bacteria in recreational water (i.e., 10 to 20 illnesses per 1000 swimmers). Who takes samples of the beach water? Lifeguards working for the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service collect the samples at beaches they are guarding during the beach season. The Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service is contracted by the Department of Health and Wellness to do this work. Lifeguards send the samples to a lab for testing. What do you test for? We test for enterococci in ocean water, and E.coli in fresh waters like lakes and ponds. These bacteria come from fecal matter from people and warm-blooded animals. Why are enterococci or E. coli used? We know through research that high levels of these bacteria can make people sick, and they are the most common cause of illness from recreational water. While there are other things that could also make people sick, it isn’t reasonable or helpful to test for every possible organism in the water that can cause disease. What are the guidelines? Water samples are taken weekly at specific locations along the lifeguarded portion of the beach. The mean of five fresh water samples should be no higher than 200 units of E.coli per 100ml of water. The mean of five ocean water samples should be no higher than 35 units of enterococci per 100ml of water. The volume of each bacteria is measured in units called colony forming units (cfu).