Swimming Off-Limits At 3 Connecticut State Parks: CTDEEP

CONNECTICUT — Gay City State Park in Hebron, and Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield, were closed to swimming Wednesday due to elevated levels of bacteria in the water, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Samples from both bodies of water were being retested Wednesday, but the test results will not be available until Thursday.

As such, whether the two will reopen to swimming Thursday had not yet been determined.

In addition to Gay City and Squantz Pond, the swim area at Mashamoquet Brook State Park in Pomfret remains closed due to ongoing maintenance at the facility.

Each week, state officials collect water samples from swimming areas to determine whether bacteria indicator levels are safe. Heavy rains can lead to elevated levels of bacteria in the water.

"Indicator bacteria are not disease-causing pathogens but are one of the tools used by public health and environmental protection authorities to evaluate the potential for contamination of waterbodies," CTDEEP officials said.

The following state parks were open to swimming on Wednesday:

SHORELINE
Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison
Rocky Neck State Park, Niantic
Sherwood Island State Park, Westport
Silver Sands State Park, Milford

LAKES AND PONDS
Black Rock State Park, Watertown
Burr Pond State Park, Torrington
Chatfield Hollow State Park, Killingworth
Cockaponset State Forest (Pattaconk), Chester
Day Pond State Park, Colchester
Gardner Lake State Park, Salem
Hopeville Pond State Park, Griswold
Indian Well State Park, Shelton
Lake Waramaug State Park, Kent
Mount Tom State Park, Litchfield
Pachaug State Forest (Green Falls Pond), Voluntown
Quaddick State Park, Thompson
Stratton Brook State Park, Simsbury
Wadsworth Falls State Park, Middlefield
Wharton Brook State Park, Wallingford