Picnic Island Beach Health Advisory Issued

TAMPA, FL — Tampa Bay area beach lovers might want to avoid the water at Picnic Island Beach for a few days.

The Hillsborough County Health Department issued a health advisory Tuesday for the 7409 Picnic Island Blvd. beach after a water sample tested above safe levels for the enterococci bacteria.

“This should be considered a potential risk to the bathing public,” the health department wrote in an email to media. The beach will be re-sampled on April 4.

The bacteria found in sampling normally lives in the intestinal tracts of humans of animals. The bacteria may cause disease in humans, infections and rashes, the agency wrote.

“The presence of enteric bacteria is an indication of fecal pollution, which may come from storm water runoff, pets and wildlife, and human sewage,” the email said.

The Hillsborough County Health Department conducts coastal beach water quality testing at nine sites every two weeks. The agency has done so since 2000. For more information on the testing program, visit the Florida Department of Health's Beach Water Quality website at http://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/beach-water-quality/index.html.

Image via Shutterstock

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