High Fecal Bacteria Levels Reported At These Jersey Shore Beaches

JERSEY SHORE — Two beaches were placed under a swimming advisory Tuesday afternoon after high levels of fecal bacteria were found in water samples, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

The beaches are:

• 2nd and JFK, North Wildwood ocean beach
• Beachwood Beach West, Beachwood river beach

They were tested on Monday and Tuesday, with results being released Wednesday.

The advisory means that the beach is potentially unsafe.

These beaches exceeded the standards of 104 colonies of enterococci bacteria per 100 milliliters of sample. If two consecutive samples exceed the standards, the beaches will be closed until the bacteria level goes back down, according to the DEP.

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.