Seaside Heights bayfront beach closed due to bacteria after further testing

Amanda Oglesby, Asbury Park Press
·1 min read

SEASIDE HEIGHTS — The bay beach at Hancock Avenue was closed to swimming on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, after two rounds of water quality testing this week showed high levels of a bacteria commonly found in feces.

A water sample collected at the beach, located on the bayside of the borough, Tuesday by health officials contained 140 colonies of enterococcus bacteria per 100 milliliters; anything higher than 104 colonies is considered unsafe for swimming, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Another water sample collected Monday contained 120 colonies, which triggered a water quality alert on Tuesday, according to the DEP.

The presence of enterococcus, a bacteria common in the intestines of humans and animals, is often used as an indicator species to signal that other potentially harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites could be present in water.

Swimming in contaminated water can cause various illnesses, including gastrointestinal distress as well as eye, ear and throat infections, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Children, older adults and people with compromised immune systems are the most at risk from coming in contact with polluted water.

Feces contamination typically enters waterways through rain that washes pet or wildlife droppings into creeks and rivers, or through leaky sewer or septic systems.

Health officials will retest the Hancock Avenue bay beach on Wednesday, but results will not be available until Thursday. The beach will remain closed to swimming until health officials find that bacteria levels have declined to levels considered safe for swimming.

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Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 15 years. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Seaside Heights bayfront beach closed due to bacteria