The Grey Bruce Health Unit is advising people to simply look at the water on the beach to determine if it's safe to swim.
The health unit is changing its water testing protocols.
Public Health Manager Bob Hart says there's often a time lag between getting its test results and the actual quality of the water, causing the tests to be inaccurate. The test results could show the water is safe when it's not and vice versa. He says people look at the water to help determine if its safe.
"Like how cloudy the water is, whether there's a lot of water fowl around pooping in the water or whatever and those kinds of things we feel are a more accurate method for users of the beach to make a determination about whether it's safe to swim or not," says Hart.
The Grey Bruce Health Unit will continue testing water at beaches to determine overall water quality. However they'll test more beaches but less frequently.
They had been testing eight beaches every two weeks. Starting next summer they'll test 13 beaches once a month.