Vernon lake water tests come back safe, but you still might not want to go swimming

VERNON – The water at Vernon’s local beaches has been deemed safe, from a water quality perspective at least.

Water samples from public swimming areas on Kalamalka Lake and Okanagan Lake were collected and sent for testing by the North Okanagan Regional District last week, and parks manager Keith Pinkoski says they all came back clear.

“They were within the tolerable levels for E. Coli,” Pinkoski says.

The testing was done in response to local flooding events and concern about the cleanliness of the water. Sampling will be done on a weekly basis through the summer and any closures or advisories will be posted, Pinkoski says. 

While there are no beach closures due to water quality, Pinkoski says there are still some safety concerns people should be aware.

“Swimming might not be a good idea. There’s lots of debris down there,” he says.

The beaches that were tested include Kal Beach Park, Paddlewheel Park, Kin Beach Park and Camp Hurlburt.

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