Halifax beaches to reopen after sewage woes

Halifax officials are hoping the harbour will be clean enough to reopen two beaches by Canada Day.

A damaged sewage treatment plant kept swimmers from Black Rock and Dingle beaches last summer. Signs warning about bacterial contamination are still up.

But municipal officials hope a UV disinfection system will be working by the weekend. They'll sample the water soon.

"If the results are positive, which we fully expect, swimming will be back up," said James Campbell, spokesman for the Halifax Harbour Solutions project. "We certainly hope by Canada Day, for sure."

The Halifax sewage treatment plant broke down in January 2009, resulting in raw sewage flowing directly into the harbour.

The plant is nearly fully operational and has been handling waste water for weeks. Once the UV disinfection system is working, the harbour will be safe for swimming.

Lifeguards are waiting for the call to head to the beach.

"Halifax Water will mitigate that date for us in terms of when we're live and ready to go," said John Henry, aquatics co-ordinator for the Halifax Regional Municipality.

Once the beaches reopen, lifeguards will take water samples every week to ensure the harbour is safe for swimming.

But past problems with the sewage treatment planthave leftwould-be swimmers doubtful.

"If they say it's ready, I'll take their word on that. But I don't think I'll be swimming this Canada Day," said Elizabeth Corkum. "Every time it's clean there's something that comes up and it's re-polluted."

Some mothers are reluctant to let their children take the plunge.

"He will not be in this water for at least two years," Leigh Smith said of her son.

"I think I'd leave it until maybe August before I attempt to go in the water," said Jennifer White.

The beaches were opened in 2008 to much fanfare. The sewage treatment plant had opened months earlier and bacteria counts plummeted, allowing for swimming for the first time in decades.