Swimming advisory remains in effect at Kelowna’s Rotary Beach
The City of Kelowna has issued a swimming advisory for the south end of Rotary Beach after elevated E. coli levels were detected. The beach itself remains open. City of Kelowna
Photo: City of Kelowna
A swimming advisory remains in effect for the south end of Rotary Beach in Kelowna after testing found elevated E. coli levels in the water.
The City of Kelowna issued the advisory Thursday, Aug. 13. As of Saturday, Aug. 15, the city continued to list the advisory as active on its beach water-quality page.
The beach has not been closed, but people are being asked not to swim or take part in other water-based recreation in the affected area until the advisory is lifted.
The advisory was issued after testing found E. coli levels above recreational-water guidelines.
Interior Health uses a Beach Action Value of 235 E. coli per 100 millilitres for a single water sample. Results above that level can prompt further testing and, depending on the results and environmental conditions, a swimming advisory.
“We are asking the public not to swim or engage in water-related recreation activities at this beach until the water quality advisory has been lifted,” Kelowna Water Operations Manager Andy Weremy said in the city’s announcement.
Kelowna regularly tests water at designated swimming beaches and reports the results to Interior Health. When bacterial levels exceed recreational-water guidelines, testing is increased to daily until results return to acceptable levels.
Swimmers may face an increased risk of gastrointestinal illness if contaminated water is ingested. Eye, ear and throat symptoms and skin rashes can also occur.
Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems may be more susceptible to illness.
E. coli is found in the feces of humans and other warm-blooded animals and is used as an indicator that other disease-causing organisms may be present in the water. Elevated E. coli levels do not, by themselves, identify the source of contamination.
The city says beach-water quality can be affected by factors including lake currents, runoff and creek outflows, environmental conditions, waterfowl and other animal waste. Warmer summer conditions and swimmers disturbing the lake bottom can also contribute to higher bacterial levels.
Rotary Beach has experienced similar problems before.
The city issued a swimming advisory for Rotary Beach on Aug. 13, 2025 — exactly one year before the latest advisory. That advisory remained in effect until Sept. 26, when testing showed the water had returned to acceptable recreational-water standards.
City water reports have also identified Rotary Beach as having some of the highest E. coli counts among Kelowna’s monitored beaches in previous years.
The current advisory applies specifically to the south portion of Rotary Beach. Kelowna’s other designated swimming beaches are not currently listed as being under a swimming advisory.
The advisory will be lifted once testing shows the water has returned to acceptable levels.
No new evacuation orders or alerts were issued Saturday for the nearly 20,000-hectare Bald Range wildfire, while several recent wildfire starts remain active across the West Kootenays.