4 Anne Arundel Co. Beaches Under No-Swim Advisories

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — At least four beaches in Anne Arundel County have been placed under a no-swimming ban due to high bacteria levels.

Alerts issued by the Anne Arundel County Department of Health impact the following beaches:

• Oyster Harbor in Annapolis
• Epping Forest in Annapolis
• YMCA Camp Letts in Edgewater
• Londontown at Midland in Edgewater

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The department said residents are barred from participating in any activities that require direct contact with the water.

The ban will remain in place until test results show the water has returned to "acceptable" conditions.

Officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency say that while enterococci bacteria are not typically harmful to humans, their presence can indicate the presence of other disease-causing bacteria or pathogens in the water.

In some cases, the bacteria can cause skin and eye infections, as well as gastrointestinal illnesses.

Most beaches in the county are tested at least every two weeks.