Beach testing will be put on hold in Windsor-Essex due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit announced the move at its board meeting Thursday night.
Testing for e-coli levels are performed at nine area beaches weekly during the summer to determine how safe it is to go into the water.
Manager of Infectious Disease Prevention, Kristy McBeth, says the resources simply aren't available right now.
"We will not be doing beach testing this summer due to capacity issues on the teams," she says.
McBeth says beaches were checked for safety before the possibly open to the public.
"They have received an initial hazard risk assessment by our environmental health team and there was initial testing done," she says.
Swimmers will have to enter the water at their own risk, according to McBeth.
"Should municipalities choose to operate those beaches, they could open, but the recommendation will be that they are posting that the beaches will not be tested weekly and that swimmers should be advised of the risks," she added.
According to a report from the health unit, the risk of transmitting COVID-19 on the beach is low, but only if people observe physical distancing rules.
CLICK HERE to find out more information on the health unit's website about beach safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.