Water Quality at Municipal Beaches

In the summer months, beaches on the river can be closed by the local municipal health department if water quality conditions pose a health risk to swimmers. However, regulations on either side of the river are very different:

Did you know that the City of Gatineau only tests 5 times a season? That’s only once every few weeks! In Ottawa, the water is tested daily to ensure safe swimming conditions.

Beach Water Quality

• City of Ottawa Beaches

• City of Gatineau Beaches

• Renfrew County District Beaches (e.g., Arnprior, Cobden, Petawawa, Pembroke, etc)

• Eastern Ontario Beaches (e.g., Hawksbury)

Find out about permissible E.coli levels and beach closures

Find out about the Blue Flag Program

For all other water quality questions for the municipality of Ottawa (e.g., Constance Bay), please call 3-1-1 for up to date information.