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Ideal Beach in Middletown Reopened After Fecal Bacteria Closure
The bacteria count in the water is now less than 10 CFUs, according to state testing.

Middletown, NJ - It's safe to go back in the water.
Ideal Beach has reopened Friday after being shut down for the past two days due to a high bacteria count in the water. The bacteria was enterococci, a common bacteria in the intestines of humans and animals that is excreted in feces. On Tuesday, the first day the state DEP tested Ideal Beach, the count for enterococci was 640 colony-forming units (CFU) per 100 milliliters of sea water. By Wednesday, that had dropped to 140 CFUs, which is still higher than legal limits. By Thursday, it had dropped to less than 10 CFUs, a safe, swimmable limit. The beach reopened Friday morning.
High levels of enterococci bacteria shut down not only Ideal Beach this week, but also Beach D at Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area. All Sandy Hook beaches are now reopened, as well.
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