Five Rhode Island Beaches Reopened Just In Time For The Weekend

NEWPORT, RI — The same day five Rhode Island beaches were closed to swimming, five otehres were reopened. It's been a crazy week for beach closures, with two solid days of heavy rain causing a spike in bacteria levels in the water around the state.

On Friday afternoon, Gooseberry and Fort Adams Beaches in Newport, Saunderstown Yacht Club, Beach Bonnet Shores Beach in Narragansett and North Kingstown Town Beach were all declared safe for swimming, just in time for a weekend beach day.

The following beaches are still closed, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health.

• Sandy Point Beach, Portsmouth
• Third Beach, Middletown
• Peabody’s Beaches, Middletown
• Camp Grosvenor, Saunderstown
• Dunes Park Beach, Westerly
• Kent County YMCA Lower Pond, Warwick

The department continues to monitor the water quality at closed beaches and will reopen them as soon as bacteria levels are safe. Most beaches are reopened within three to four days.

As of Friday morning, 10 beaches were closed, with the spike blamed on heavy rain earlier in the week that carried contaminated runoff into the water, raising the bacteria levels.

For the most up-to-date beach closure information, call the department's prerecorded beach line at 401-222-2751 or visit the beach closures website.