Poor recreational water quality poses a risk of acute gastrointestinal illness to beachgoers. Beach water quality surveillance is routinely conducted by public health and environmental authorities in Canada to monitor for indicators of fecal contamination. Results are used to make risk management and communication recommendations. The presenters will discuss their analysis of surveillance data from popular Canadian beaches to identify environmental factors associated with higher levels of fecal pollution. Based on these findings, novel predictive models are being developed to make real-time, risk-based decisions about possible recreational water health risks in different freshwater and marine beach settings.
Dr. Jordan Tustin, Dr. Ian Young and Dr. Johanna Sanchez