Sewage discharge closes popular Victoria swimming spot
Published 9:15 am Friday, July 10, 2026
Those hoping to beat the summer heat with a quick dip off the Banfield Park dock are out of luck – for now.
A recent sewage discharge has prompted a July 9 beach advisory for the waters surrounding the popular Victoria swimming spot.
“While public beaches are not technically closed to public access, it is highly recommended to not enter the water while an advisory is in place,” Island Health said on its website.
Beach advisories are recommended by Island Health when there is an indication of elevated bacterial levels in the water or other potential contaminants that increase the risk of illness to the public.
Island Health works with local governments and agencies to ensure warning signs are posted to advise the public when the water may be unsafe.
Environmental health officers use a risk-assessment tool that takes into account past sample results, possible sources of contamination, and how the beach is used to decide how often each beach should be sampled. Based on their assessment, sampling usually happens weekly at high-risk beaches, every two weeks at moderate-risk beaches and monthly at low-risk beaches.
Beach water is tested at popular swimming spots across Vancouver Island from mid-May to September.