Around 20 Brookhaven Beaches Closed Over Bacteria Concerns After Heavy Rainfall: Officials

BROOKHAVEN TOWN, NY — The heavy rainfall over the weekend has prompted the Suffolk County Department of Health Services to issue an advisory against bathing at 64 beaches — around 20 in the Town of Brookhaven, including Port Jefferson Harbor Complex and Stony Brook Harbor.

Other affected areas include along the northern shoreline of Great South Bay, and Long Island Sound.

The advisory is expected to be lifted on Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.

Ronkonkoma and Tides beaches were closed last week.

Ronkonkoma was reopened on Saturday

The beaches to be closed down also include:

• Sound Beach Property Owners Association east and West beaches
• Tides Beach, Rocky Point
• Beech Road Beach, Rocky Point
• Broadway Beach, Rocky Point
• Friendship Drive, Rocky Point
• Stony Brook Beach
• Miller Place Park Beach
• Scotts Beach, Sound Beach
• Woodhull Landing Beach, Miller Place
• Bayberry Cove Beach, Setauket-East Setauket
• Bayview Beach, Setauket-East Setauket
• Grantland Beach, Setauket-East Setauket
• Indian Field Beach, Setauket-East Setauket
• Little Bay Beach, Setauket-East Setauket
• Soundview Beach Association, Old Field
• Terraces on the Sound, Rocky Point

The advisory is based on the potential that the levels of bacteria at these beaches exceed state standards.

The beaches covered by the advisory are in areas heavily influenced by stormwater runoff from the surrounding watersheds or adjacent tributaries, and because of their location in an enclosed embayment, experience limited tidal flushing.

Bathing and other water contact should be avoided in affected areas until the waters have been flushed by two successive tidal cycles, at least 24 hours after the rain has ended.