Every Friday during swimming season, we post The Beach Report™ — our weekly report of the results of water quality testing at beaches in the greater Kawarthas region — and update it throughout the week as conditions change.
As of Thursday, August 1, the following beaches are unsafe for swimming:
- Lions Park – Coboconk
- Rotary Head Lake Beach – Dysart et al
- Harwood Waterfront & Dock – Hamilton Township
Below are the complete results of water quality testing at beaches in the City and County of Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Northumberland County, and Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
In the City of Peterborough, Peterborough Public Health Inspectors sample the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead every business day, and public beaches in the County of Peterborough are sampled at least once a week (except for Chandos Beach, Quarry Bay Beach, and White’s Beach which are sampled at least once in June, July, and August).
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit provides weekly testing results for beaches in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County. Testing is based on the most recent test results from the provincial lab in Peterborough for water samples taken from these beaches.
As of 2024, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health provides weekly testing results for only five designated public beaches in Hastings County and Prince Edward County. It no longer regularly samples another 13 beaches due to historically low occurrence of high bacteria levels.
Important note
The following test results may not reflect current water quality conditions. Water samples can take one to three days to process and heavy rainfall, high winds or wave activity, large numbers of waterfowl near a beach, or large numbers of swimmers can rapidly change water quality.
You should always check current conditions before deciding to use a beach. You should also monitor other factors that might suggest a beach is unsafe to use, such as floating debris, oil, discoloured water, bad odours, and excessive weed growth.
While we strive to update this story with the current conditions, you should confirm the most recent test results by visiting the local health unit websites at Peterborough Public Health and Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, and Hastings Prince Edward Public Health. As noted above, the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead are tested every business day so the results listed below may not be current.
Peterborough City/County
City of Peterborough Beaches (sampled each business day)
Beavermead Park (2011 Ashburnham Drive, Peterborough) – sample date 30 July – SAFE
Rogers Cove (131 Maria Street, Peterborough) – sample date 30 July – SAFE*
*Note: Blue-green algae has been sighted at Rogers Cove numerous times over the past few weeks. If blue-green algae is visible when you visit the beach, do not enter the water.
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled weekly)
Buckhorn Beach (12 John Street, Buckhorn, Municipality of Trent Lakes) – sample date 30 July – SAFE
Crowe’s Line Beach (240 Crowe’s Line Road, Trent Lakes) – sample date 30 July – SAFE
Douro North Park (251 Douro Second Line, Township of Douro-Dummer) – sample date 29 July – SAFE
Ennismore Waterfront Park (1053 Ennis Road, Ennismore) – sample date 30 July – SAFE
Henry’s Gumming (150 Chemong Street S, Curve Lake) – sample date 30 July – SAFE
Hiawatha Park (1 Lakeshore Road, Hiawatha) – sample date 25 July – SAFE
Jones Beach (908 Jones Beach Road, Bridgenorth) – sample date 30 July – SAFE
Lakefield Park (100 Hague Boulevard, Lakefield) – sample date 30 July – SAFE
Lime Kiln Park (150 Whetung Street E, Curve Lake) – sample date 30 July – SAFE
Sandy Beach (1239 Lakehurst Road, Municipality of Trent Lakes) – sample date 30 July – SAFE
Selwyn Beach Conservation Area (2251 Birch Island Road, Selwyn) – sample date 30 July – SAFE
Squirrel Creek Conservation Area (2445 Wallace Point Road, South Monaghan) – sample date 24 July – SAFE
Warsaw Caves Conservation Area (289 Caves Road, Warsaw, Township of Douro-Dummer) – sample date 29 July – SAFE
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled monthly)
Belmont Lake Beach (376 Mile of Memories Road, Belmont) – sample date 3 July – SAFE
Chandos Beach (2800 County Road/Highway 620, North Kawartha) – sample date 18 July – SAFE
Kasshabog Lake (431 Peninsula Road, Havelock) – sample date 25 July – SAFE
Quarry Bay (1986 Northey’s Bay Road, Woodview) – sample date 25 July – SAFE
White’s Beach (26 Clearview Drive, Trent Lakes) – sample date 22 July – SAFE
City of Kawartha Lakes
Results updated July 31.
Lions Park – Coboconk – UNSAFE
Beach Park – Bobcaygeon – SAFE
Birch Point – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Blanchards Road Beach – Bexley – SAFE
Bond Street – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Burnt River Beach – Somerville – SAFE
Centennial Park West – Eldon – SAFE
Centennial Beach – Verulam – SAFE
Centennial Verulam Parkette – SAFE
Four Mile Lake Beach – Somerville – SAFE
Head Lake Beach – Laxton – SAFE
Norland Bathing Area – Laxton – SAFE
Omemee Beach – Emily/ Omemee – SAFE
Riverview Beach Park – Bobcaygeon – SAFE
Sturgeon Point Beach – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Valentia/ Sandbar Beach – Valentia – SAFE
Verulam Recreational Park – Verulam – SAFE
Haliburton County
Results updated July 31.
Rotary Head Lake Beach – Dysart et al – UNSAFE
Bissett Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Dorset Parkette – Algonquin Highlands – SAFE
Eagle Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Elvin Johnson Park – Algonquin Highlands – SAFE
Foresters Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Glamour Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Gooderham Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Haliburton Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Horseshoe Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Paudash Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Pine Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Rotary Park Lagoon – Minden Hills – SAFE
Rotary Park Main – Minden Hills – SAFE
Sandy Cove Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Sandy Point Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Slipper Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Twelve Mile Lake Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Wilbermere Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Northumberland County
Results updated July 31.
Harwood Waterfront & Dock – Hamilton Township – UNSAFE
Caldwell Street Beach – Port Hope – SAFE
Cobourg Victoria Park Beach – Northumberland – SAFE
Crowe Bridge Park – Trent Hills – SAFE
East Beach – Port Hope – SAFE
Hastings Waterfront North – Trent Hills – SAFE
Hastings Waterfront South – Trent Hills – SAFE
Little Lake – Cramahe – SAFE
Sandy Bay Beach – Alnwick-Haldimand – SAFE
West Beach – Port Hope – SAFE
Wicklow Beach – Alnwick-Haldimand – SAFE
Hastings County and Prince Edward County
Centennial Park, Deseronto Bay of Quinte – SAFE
Frankford Park Trent River – SAFE
Kingsford Conservation Area Salmon River – SAFE
Tweed Park Stoco Lake – SAFE
Wellington Beach Wellington Bay – SAFE
