July 20, 2022
Province Advises of Sewage Spill at Spruce Sands Beach
Manitoba Health is advising a sewage spill occurred near Spruce Sands beach in the Rural Municipality of Gimli on July 15 and is affecting local water quality including elevated E. coli levels.
It is recommended that people and animals not enter the water at Spruce Sands beach until repeat water tests show the water meets the recreational water quality objective. Beach closure signs are being posted today. Additional water quality testing is being done at other beaches in the area as a precautionary measure. Updated information on beach monitoring and the status of advisory signs will be posted at www.manitoba.ca/beaches as information becomes available.
Routine samples collected on July 19 by the provincial beach monitoring program showed elevated E. coli levels (16,756 E. coli per 100/ml) at Spruce Sands beach, which exceeds the recreational water quality objective of 200 E.coli per 100/ml.
The cause of the spill is a sewage line damaged during routine ditch maintenance. The province is reducing water levels in the ditch so the sewage line can be repaired or replaced.
Spruce Sands beach is on Lake Winnipeg, about 16 kilometres north of the community of Gimli.
For more information about Manitoba’s beach monitoring program and current beach sample results, visit www.manitoba.ca/beaches.
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