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Great Lakes Today was created to highlight issues affecting the lakes. The main partners are WBFO (Buffalo), ideastream (Cleveland) and WXXI (Rochester).Browse more coverage here. Major funding for Great Lakes Today is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American People. Additional funding comes from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District.

Grim Report on Toronto Harbor's Water Released

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper / Floating condoms and trash found in Toronto's harbor after heavy rains [Lake Ontario Waterkeeper]

By Angelica Morrison

Environmentalists in the Toronto area are taking a close look at water quality. The Lake Ontario Waterkeeper just completed a study of the city harbor, and says the city still has some work to do.

The study showed that out of 166 water samples, 106 did not meet Canadian water quality standards. In several instances E coli was found -- that’s from human waste.

Waterkeeper Vice President Krystyn Tully said that in addition to water testing, visual inspections were made.

"Unfortunately, we did find on a number of different occasions sewage debris, so things you would normally see flushed down a toilet," she said. "Condoms, for example, floating in the harbor. Not every day, but definitely on multiple occasions."

Over the summer, the group said it found thousands of used condoms and other floating trash in the harbor area. This sparked concern about the city’s sewer overflow system, which also handles water from storms. The group is calling for increased monitoring of Toronto’s harbor.

More information about the Waterkeeper report can be found at   www.waterkeeper.ca