Vancouver’s False Creek E. coli levels soar after sewage main break

A recent sewage leak into Vancouver’s False Creek has led E. coli levels in the water to skyrocket.

Vancouver Coastal Health’s latest water sampling shows E. coli levels near Olympic Village were 10 times higher than what is considered safe for swimming.

According to the health authority, on June 21, False Creek recorded E. coli samples of up to 4,884 MPN/100mls.

A sewer main break in the area last Thursday saw effluent flow into the nearby waters. While swimming is not allowed in False Creek, kayaking and paddling are.

“In most cases, repeat single sample results exceeding 400 E.coli/100 mL or a geometric mean of 200 E.coli/100 mL will lead to a swimming advisory (geometric mean is the average of a certain number of samples, taken over a specific period of time),” VCH explains on its website.

“Beach operators will be required to post a notice at the beach, ‘not suitable for swimming’. High counts of E. coli in recreational water may increase the chances of gastrointestinal illnesses and skin/eye infection.”