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Just as Vancouverites prepare for the long weekend, several beaches have been reopened to water recreation after previously being closed due to heightened bacteria levels in the water.

Vancouver Coastal Health announced that water sample testing at Kitsilano Beach and Kitsilano Point has revealed that E. coli levels are within safe limits once again.

Accordingly, the two beaches have been reopened to wading and swimming. They had been closed on July 28.

E. coli levels at Sunset Beach in the West End had also lowered, and it was reopened on August 1.

On August 2, Vancouver Coastal Health announced that bacteria levels at three West Vancouver beaches (Ambleside, Sandy Cove, and Whytecliff) had also reduced. (They had been closed on July 31.) Consequently, all of those beaches were reopened to wading, swimming, and scuba diving.

The one remaining closure is Trout Lake. The Vancouver Park Board announced it was closed to swimming on July 19.

The safety threshold for average water samples is equal to or less than 200 E. coli found per 100 millilitres of water. Trout Lake's average rate of E. coli water testing went up to 259 on July 19, down to 177 by July 26, and then up to 205 on August 3.

With the Celebration of Light finale scheduled to be held on Saturday (August 4), the City of Vancouver is reminding boaters not to dump raw sewage into local waters, which is one of the contributing factors to E. coli increases and is also illegal. Instead, a number of pump-out stations and services are available at False Creek and Coal Harbour.