Ellington Closes Beach

ELLINGTON, CT — Sandy Beach at Crystal Lake is closed Wednesday and Thursday after several days of significant rainfall affected water quality, according to the Ellington Recreation Department.

Officials said the beach will reopen once water quality testing confirms that it is safe for swimming.

The Recreation Department said the closure was made out of concern for the health and safety of visitors and asked residents to continue checking the department’s Facebook page for updates.

Heavy rain can lead to beach closures when stormwater runoff carries bacteria and other pollutants into swimming areas. State officials have said water quality usually improves after dilution and water movement, often within 48 to 72 hours after a storm.

The closure follows a stretch of stormy weather across Connecticut during and after the Fourth of July weekend, when heavy rain, flooding and outages were reported in multiple communities.

For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.