High Fecal Bacteria At 10 NJ Beaches Sparks Swim Advisories

Multiple beaches are under swimming advisories on Wednesday after fecal bacteria levels exceeded the maximum allowable, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The beaches — three on the ocean, four bay beaches and three riverfront beaches — all tested above 104 colonies per 100 milliliters of water for the Enterococci bacteria, the NJDEP said.

The state tests coastal waters at more than 200 sites every Tuesday during the summer season through its Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program, which is a partnership among the NJDEP, the state Department of Health and local health authorities.

A swimming advisory is issued for any site that exceeds the 104 colonies, and it is retested on Wednesday. If the Wednesday sample exceeds the limit, a swimming ban is put in place until the sample results fall below 104 colonies.

"Typically, advisories do not lead to beach closings," the NJDEP said.

The following beaches were under swimming advisories on Wednesday:

OCEAN: Imperial House beach and Elberon Beach Club in Long Branch, and Baltimore Boulevard beach in Sea Girt, all in Monmouth County.

BAY: Highlands Rec Center beach on Sandy Hook Bay in Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County; 5th Avenue Bayfront beach on Barnegat Bay in Seaside Park, Ocean County, and Beesley's Point Beach in Upper Township and 57th Street beach in Avalon, both in Cape May County.

RIVER: L Street beach on the Shark River in Belmar, Monmouth County; and the Maxson Avenue and River Avenue beaches on the Manasquan River in Point Pleasant, Ocean County.

Enterococci, a bacteria found in animal and human waste, can be an indicator of poor bathing water quality. Swimming in water with high levels of enterococci can be harmful to your health, according to the DEP.

Sources of enterococci in water include storm water runoff, sewage discharged or dumped from recreational boats, and domestic animal and wildlife waste.

Swimming in polluted water can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, runny nose, earaches skin rashes and flu-like symptoms.

Beaches also can be closed to swimming as a precaution for various reasons including:

• floatable washups,
• during the investigation of reported incidents, and
• policies that close certain beaches while outfalls are discharging or after certain rainfall amounts.