"Like a diarrhea swimming pool": Local alarmed at Granville Island water quality

Sarah Anderson
Jun 3 2023, 11:21 am

A local is finding it hard to take pride in their City when all the tourists at Granville Island are seeing “doody” dirty water.

Nick Luca, a worker at The Arts Club Theater Company, told Daily Hive that he felt “absolutely disgusted and embarrassed” about the water in False Creek when he went to work one day.

“At almost anytime or any day, there is a disgusting ‘film’ in the water,” said Luca.

According to Luca, the Vancouver International Children’s Festival brought many visitors and tourists to the area, and the air smelled terrible.

“Along with the spectacular views, there was a smell of s* in the air,” said Luca.

“Not only is the water brown, like a diarrhea swimming pool, but the stench is so overpowering… Not a great first impression when walking into Granville Island, taking that iconic picture with the bridge sign in the background, and pinching your nose,” he said.

Oil-like sheens on the water can be the result of pollution, but they can also be caused by bacteria.

E.coli in the water

According to Vancouver Coastal Health, the water in False Creek is tested as part of the Metro Vancouver Waste Management Plan, but the water quality is not suitable for swimming. So, they do measure the E.coli in the water, but it’s for informational purposes only.

According to readings done on the morning of June 1, the water at three different testing sites near Granville Island registered either 10 or less than 10 E.coli MPN/100ml. For comparison, it was 96 E.coli MPN/100ml at Third Beach, which was open for swimming.

When the guidelines for recreational water quality exceed a geometric mean of 200 E.coli/100ml or a single sample is less than 400 E.coli/100ml, health advisories may be issued

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/water-quality-granville-island?mc_cid=756b9d8567&mc_eid=30488675cb