The Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit has officially launched its summer 2017 water testing program.

The program which runs this year from mid-June to the end of August will take water samples at 17 beaches in Haliburton County to test for bacteria and ensure the water is safe for swimming and public use.

The beaches that will be tested by the health unit are as follows: Dorset Parkette and Elvin Johnson Park (aka Stanhope Beach) in the Algonquin Highlands; Eagle Lake Beach Haliburton Lake South Bay Sand Point (aka Indian Point) Pine Lake Beach Sandy Cove Beach and Silver Lake (aka Kashawigamog Lake) in Dysart; Glamor Lake Beach Gooderham Beach Lake Wilbermere Beach and Paudash Lake Beach in Highlands East; and Bissett Beach Little Horseshoe Lake Beach Minden Rotary Lagoon Beach Minden Rotary Main Beach and Twelve Mile Lake Beach in Minden.

If a beach’s bacteria levels are too high and swimming is unsafe the health unit will post a ‘warning’ sign and will remove it once levels are deemed safe again.

People can access the results by calling the health unit toll-free at 1-866-888-4577 or by visiting www.hkpr.on.ca . The health unit will also post the beach test results on their Facebook and Twitter pages.